The Perth Wildcats have pulled off a major recruiting coup, beating Melbourne Tigers and South Dragons for the signature of former Boomers point guard Luke Kendall.
Kendall, who became a free agent following the demise of the Sydney Kings, is hoping to receive NBL approval in time to line up with the Cats for Wednesday's home clash with Wollongong.
The 27-year-old Victorian had attracted strong interest from the Tigers and Dragons but chose to join the Cats, whose small men have been hit hard by injury.
Guards Adam Caporn, Brad Robbins and Peter Crawford are all battling knee injuries, while centre and skipper Paul Rogers is not expected back until after Christmas due to a lingering knee complaint of his own.
The Cats have placed Rogers on the de-activated list, meaning they have enough room in their player points cap to fit Kendall in.
"Injuries are a reality of professional sport and it's clear we are hurting in the ball-handling department," Wildcats chief executive Nick Marvin said.
"Not often do you have a player who represents Australia on an international level available to step into a squad.
"This is a rare opportunity and we are glad Luke has chosen the Wildcats. With our current injuries, he will be a very important addition to the team and will certainly give us an immediate boost."
Kendall's addition is a massive boost for the Cats, who have slipped to second last on the table with five losses from their first eight games.
The talented guard, who won a championship with Sydney in 2005, played a crucial role in the Boomers' gold medal performance at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
He also won a spot on the Australian team for the 2006 world championships in Japan and was one of the final players cut ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
Hot Forum Topics
