THE BRISBANE Lions will unveil two more debutants against Port Adelaide on Saturday night, with ruckman Archie Smith and key defender Sam Skinner to play their first games.

Smith's debut caps a three-year rise that took him from being one of the country's best young basketballers to a fully-fledged AFL player.

The 21-year-old played his first game of Australian Rules in 2013, was spotted by the Lions Academy and taken by the club as a rookie for the following season.

Standing an imposing 201cm, Smith has a fantastic leap and has improved his game markedly around the ground over the past three years in the NEAFL.

He was upgraded from the rookie list last week.

Smith was offered basketball scholarship by eight division one colleges in America before making the switch to AFL.

Skinner's story is just as exciting for another reason. 

Taken by the Lions at pick number No.47 in last year's draft, the Gippsland Power product had to overcome a ruptured ACL to make the grade.

Skinner, 19, came to the Lions in the midst of 12 months of rehabilitation and only made his NEAFL debut in early June. 

Smith and Skinner will bring the number of Lions debutants this season to nine.