The son of Australian tennis great Nicole Bradtke is attempting to forge an AFL career with Melbourne.
Austin Bradtke joined the Demons as a Category B rookie in 2018 after turning his back on a potential basketball career in the United States.
It’s understood up to four clubs were interested in the 204cm prospect before choosing to sign for Melbourne – the club he grew up supporting.
The teenager comes from a family that contains strong sporting pedigree with dad Mark a three-time NBL champion and Australian basketball Hall of Famer.
“My eldest Austin is 19 and played basketball his whole entire career,” Bradtke told This Is Your Sporting Life - For Tobin Brothers Funerals, celebrating lives.
“Went to the States when he was about 16 or 17, had a look at some colleges that were interested in him, came back and said: ‘No, I don’t want to live here’.
“Two of his best mates are Ben and Max King. Clubs got wind that he wasn’t going to go back to basketball. He is 6’9 and moves pretty well, was a very good footballer, hence we had a lot of offers for him to go to clubs because he’s gone as a category B rookie.
“He chose Melbourne, he does barrack for Melbourne.”
Bradtke is yet to debut at AFL level.
Listen to Nicole Bradtke’s chat on This Is Your Sporting Life with Peter Donegan in the player below