Australian basketball champion Shane Heal was a foundation student of Lake Ginninderra College, which made his daughter Shyla's decision to accept a scholarship to go there 30 years later a "no brainer".

Shyla has become accustomed to seeing her father honoured for his feats on the court and was in the crowd when Heal was part of a Lake Ginninderra Hall of Fame ceremony last month.

But after watching 23 athletes inducted and seeing her father sign his plaque, 15-year-old Shyla says she's ready to follow Heal's basketball footsteps.

Shyla played for the Australian under-17 team at the Oceania championships in Guam in July and hopes to stake her claim for a trip to world championships in Belarus next year.

"It's a bit motivational - trying to achieve my goals and follow in his footsteps. He always told me about it [Lake G] so it's good to see it first hand," Shyla said.

"I want to play for Australia. I had the under-17 Australian camp, so I hope to make that [team]."

Her arrival at Lake Ginninderra comes 30 years after Heal was there as part of the school's first year of existence.

Lake Ginninderra is a second home for junior athletes training at the AIS and Heal said the school played an important role because they understood the unique priorities and pressures of chasing sporting dreams.

"As far as opportunities goes it's a no-brainer. As a dad you don't like losing your 15-year-old full-time," Heal said.

"But she's really passionate about playing for Australia and she's got the same dreams that I had and I think this is the best opportunity to  be able to achieve those."

Shyla plays the same position as her dad, but he said she was a "much better athlete and better defender".

Heal played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs.

While he had the chance to make basketball a career, that wasn't the case for his female counterparts 30 years ago.

But he was thankful his daughter had the opportunity to do that now.

"If she continues to develop as a player those opportunities exist now to be able to follow her dreams and do what she wants to do as a living," Heal said.

"Whereas the ladies of my era it was a lot harder. They could still follow their dreams and play for Australia, but it was hard for them to be rewarded financially as their job."

While he thought Spurs were on the rung below Golden State, Cleveland and Boston, Heal felt their "culture" meant they always had a chance of winning the title.

"I thought it was great that he could sign for the money that he did and be rewarded for the role that he's played without having to shift clubs," Heal said of Mills' signing.

"So many times players had to go to another club to be rewarded financially and he's been able to do it at a great club.

"I was lucky enough to play a little bit of time at the Spurs. He's had a terrific role in a program that has a chance to win every year so I thought it was a great result all round."