Collingwood is set to blood its sixth debutant of the season, with former Australian Boomer Tom Wilson pulling on the black and white against Sydney on Saturday afternoon.

The 23-year-old was signed to the Pies as a Category B Rookie in 2019.

A talented junior athlete, Wilson chose to pursue a career in basketball at age 16 and went on to represent his country in the Under 17 and Under 19 FIBA World Championships as well as join the Australian Boomers team.

Wilson spent time playing basketball in the United States and Serbia before returning to Australia as a guard with the Sydney Kings.

More recently, Wilson has impressed in Collingwood's VFL side on the wing and as a rebounding half-back. He is averaging 21 disposals and 5.8 marks, with a season-high 30 disposals against Gold Coast.

Senior coach Nathan Buckley credited Wilson's professionalism to now make it to the highest level in two sports during the announcement to the playing group on Thursday afternoon.

"The stories I heard about you as a young basketball professional going over to Europe and the confronting situations you found on yourself in then, travelling across on your own, basically being in your own space having to manage yourself in a pretty cut throat environment," Buckley said.

"You played footy early and when the basketball path and have circled back around. It's been hard yards.

"Your pre-season and what you've put together so far have earned this opportunity.

"Your communication is second to none, you're direct and your understanding of the way we play is elite. You know exactly what we're trying to achieve and to communicate it and pull your teammates together and you're in great form.

"It's just reward. It's not just reward for the last month, it's reward for that attitude for the way you've carried throughout your entire sporting life and I hope this is a fair recognition for you firstly but it's a start of the next phase if it, mate."