For some, making it to the NBL would be enough.
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Not Kyle Zunic though, who this week penned a two-year development deal with the Perth Wildcats.
"It's always been a goal of mine to be a professional athlete and I got a little taste of it the past few months in Queensland," the Sanctuary Point product said.
"To be in the NBL is a dream come true, it's what I've worked towards all my juniors and it's why I went to college, to develop and adapt my game to the professional style.
"It's an unbelievable opportunity but to me, it's just the start.
"The plan was always to be a rostered player and this is the first step to me being a full-time guy.
"Having spoken to coach Scott Morrison, we are already mapping out a plan of how to best develop my game - which I know is going to happen over there.
"It's the perfect situation for me to take my game to the next level and establish myself as one of the league's best defenders - which has always been my identity on the court."
This opportunity presented itself thanks to Zunic's strong play with the University of Sunshine Coast in the NBL1 North division.
"My time in Queensland has been unreal, I couldn't have asked for a better team to join," the 22-year-old said.
"They welcomed me in with open arms and gave me an opportunity to play in a league that had so many talented guys in it like Shaun Bruce and Jason Cadee, who have played in the NBL for some time now.
"It allowed me to see exactly where my game is at and prepare me for the upcoming NBL season.
"On top of that, we made it through to the semi-finals, which is an experience I'll never forget."
While there had been interactions between a number of clubs and Zunic's camp during the NBL1 season, and even dating back to when his four-year stint with Winthrop wrapped up, no official offers had been lodged until the Wildcats swooped in.
"There was a bit of interest in me from some clubs as soon as I returned to Australia but nothing ever eventuated until Perth came along," the former Sanctuary Point Public School student said.
"Danny Mills (Perth's general manager) has been watching me for a long time, through juniors, my Australian teams and all the way through college - he kept a close eye on me.
"Once he contacted me, he told me how interested the club was, which was really exciting because they are a super professional club and the benchmark of basketball in this country.
"It felt amazing to be wanted by a club of that calibre, that develops players like they do and wins championships - I can't wait to get over there and rip in."
Although he's on a development contract, the club has explained the Illawarra Hawks junior will get a chance to compete for minutes right away.
"To potentially get a chance to play minutes in year one is unreal," said Zunic, who is expected to head to Western Australia within the next couple of days before starting his mandatory two weeks home quarantine.
"All I could ever ask for is a foot in the door to showcase what I've got and play against high-calibre guys like Bryce Cotton, Mitch Norton and Kevin White - which will no doubt help me progress on the court."
As well as that on-court support, Zunic is in the unique position to bounce ideas off two family members who reached the professional sphere as athletes.
Much like Zunic, father Zoran made a name for himself in the NBL as a guard for the Sydney Supersonics in the 1980s and Kings during their debut 1998 campaign, while older brother Jordan has won four professional golf tournaments and currently sits just outside the top 1000 in the world.
"Dad has always been my biggest supporter and someone I can rely on for basketball advice," he said.
"It got quite emotional when the Perth deal came to fruition because he knew how hard I had worked to get there but he was also extremely proud to have me follow in his footsteps.
"While Jordan obviously plays a different sport, I've learnt so much from him in terms of what it takes to succeed as a professional athlete.
"As brothers, we've both been there for one another to get through tough times and bounce ideas off each other, while continuing to learn and grow as professional athletes together.
"It's cool to be in a family that can share something like this because not many get the privilege."
During these two seasons, Zunic says he's going to be a "sponge" on and off the court, to best set him up for a long-term career on the hardwood.
"Any opportunity that comes my way, I'm going to grab with both hands, because I've got distinct goals for what I want to achieve in this league," he said.
"My main objective is to establish myself as one of the top defenders and with the guidance of Mitch North, Kevin White and Damian Martin, who have been part of this program for years and are unbelievable defenders in their own right, I feel I'm in the best position possible to achieve that.
"Perth will also help develop my offensive game to where I want it to be - I've just got to keep working on my shooting, finishing, ball-handling and IQ when I can.
"I'm willing to do the hard work, which should put both Perth and myself in the best position to achieve our goals together."
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