Legendary Australian basketball coach Adrian Hurley inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame

However, it all began on a hand-built dirt court out the back of Bega High School in the late-1950s.

Dr Hurley, 78, was on Thursday night inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for his contribution to basketball through coaching and administration.

The nine inductees named on October 13 also included AFL great Chris Judd, rugby league's Brad Fittler and motorsport's Mark Webber.

He said he felt "blessed" and "humbled" by the accolade, given he joined elite company on the honour roll alongside Australian sporting greats such as Don Bradman, Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman and Bart Cummings.

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In conversation with the Bega District News on Friday morning, Dr Hurley said his "incredible journey" began as a student at Bega High.

After primary school in Narooma, he attended Bega High from 1956-60.

"Our PE teacher at the time was Keith Mitchell, who had been there all his life," Dr Hurley said.

"He had gone to the 1956 Olympic Games and seen basketball for the first time - when he came back he was so enthused.

"We graded out a flat space on the side of the hill behind the tech room so we had a dirt court, lime for the lines, we built our own backboards...we wondered what we were doing in PE class shifting dirt!

"But he taught us the rules and we learned to play there. Basketball became very popular at Bega High."

Dr Hurley said at the time he was more into cricket, rugby league and tennis than basketball. However, as vice-captain in 1960 "you basically had to go in everything" and his passion for the sport continued to grow, reignited once he left Bega for the Riverina and its stronger basketball competition.

"My days at Bega were wonderful. Unfortunately to achieve what I wanted I had to leave there, but the imprints my time there made on me have directed me ever since.

"A lot of people who know me have been messaging me over the past 24 hours wondering how that little boy from Bega made it to the Olympics and Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

"It's been quite a journey."

As well as his own considerable playing career during the 1960s and '70s, representing and captaining the NSW side, Dr Hurley later transitioned to coaching - leading the Illawarra Hawks in the early days of the National Basketball League, and taking the Perth Wildcats to the premiership in 1995.

Dr Hurley was the inaugural head basketball coach of the AIS in 1981, a role he held for 12 years. He established the AIS program and the National Intensive Training Program, which he said has been recognised as one of the world's best.

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He also acted as a mentor to a generation of basketballers who came to Canberra in the pursuit of success.

At Seoul 1988, he became the first Australian men's coach to take the Boomers to the Olympic Games medal playoffs, and he was also in charge at the 1992 Barcelona Games where they placed sixth.

While coach of the Hunter Pirates in 2004-05 he was named NBL Coach of the Year and the same year was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.

He said to be a coach finding themselves on such prestigious honour rolls alongside elite sportspeople was humbling, but that he also felt "very privileged".

"Coaching is such an honour and a privilege. To have worked alongside all these great players and administrators who are all so motivated.

"There's also a great responsibility - people are putting their lives and futures in your hands.

"You can point people in the right direction and give them a leg up - and it was the same with me. I feel really blessed that so many people supported me over the years too."

To the youth and students of Bega, Dr Hurley had some great words of encouragement.

"Dream big. And then do the work.

"A lot of people have big dreams but don't put in the work.

"Whether it's music, sport, academia, whatever, perseverance is key.

"And then find the people to help you. You can't do it alone.

"Knock on those doors, look for those opportunities and say 'I want to be the best I can be, how can you help me?'

"Opportunities may be harder to find in smaller towns like Bega, but you only have to look at the top level sporting fields to see country kids can excel."

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