Port Adelaide have taken a punt on a second former basketball star, with the Power hopeful it will prove as successful as the signing of 2004 premiership ruckman Dean Brogan.

The Power have recruited 198cm Daniel Bass, who returned to Australia in mid-2009 after a four-year stint playing for Metro State University in Denver.

Because the 22-year-old Bass had not been registered with any football club for the previous four years, he could be selected by the Power without going through the draft system.

Port Adelaide football operations manager Peter Rohde said Bass was discovered through the Power's recruiting network as the club searched for future ruck options following the retirement of Brendon Lade.

Despite a very limited Australian Rules background, Bass impressed the club during a mid-season try-out and testing.

"We keep a pretty close eye on basketball, especially some of the bigger blokes, given we've had some success there with Dean Brogan," Rohde said.

"Daniel's certainly got some terrific athletic qualities and having been in an elite sporting environment in the States he's already had four years of physical development.

"Being a Melbourne boy he's familiar with footy and played a little growing up, so he's not starting completely cold there.

"We see Daniel as a medium-term ruck project for us - we certainly don't have high expectations for the coming season, but we think it could be a two-to-three year development process instead of a four-to-five year one."

Brogan is the only player to have won premierships in the NBL and AFL - for the Adelaide 36ers in 1998 and the Power five years ago.

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