The 16-year-old was surprised with a customised wheelchair as part of the KidzWish Wall of Wishes.

The initiative encourages the community to buy a $10 star to help fund youngsters' wishes.

Attending weekly training with the Roller Hawks, Thursday will be the first chance for Frank to give his new wheels a proper spin against competition.

"I want to see how good it is, I haven't tried it out yet," he said.

Trying to get Frank off the court was difficult on Tuesday as he demonstrated how much easier the wheelchair made manoeuvring at the Snake Pit.

"It's great, it's fast," Frank said.

KidzWish marketing manager Karouna Micheal said Frank had been a member of its sports academy, which gives children the opportunity to get involved in mainstream sport.

"When Frank first started at our sports academy, shooting hoops was a difficult task for him but he's quite natural now in terms of his movement and his confidence in shooting the basketball," he said.

Frank, who was born without legs, first became involved with KidzWish in 2007, receiving prosthetic legs two years later, which allowed him to walk for the first time.

Spending the majority of his life in a refugee camp in Tanzania, Frank's family was granted refugee status in Australia in 2007.

"It's just great to see Frank develop into the man he is today and hopefully his wheelchair can help him along in his sporting career and take him to the next level," Mr Micheal said.

The Greater Building Society kick-started the Wall of Wishes initiative, donating $25,000 to fund Frank's chair and the wishes of 10 other Illawarra kids. The wall is expected to be constructed in the new year.

An earlier version of this story said Frank had spent the majority of his life in a refugee camp in Rwanda. This has since been amended. The Mercury was provided with incorrect information.