The proud Kokatha, Naghiralgal and Dauareb-Meriam man was the first Indigenous Australian to be an Olympic flag bearer. He was the third First Nations player to put on a Boomers jersey.

He led Australia's history-making bronze medal team in Tokyo.

And off the court he continues to put his money where his mouth is, with his creation Indigenous Australia Basketball's next venture - financially supporting Indigenous coaches.

Yugambeh woman Cassie Dover, Bindal man Tyson Demos, Iliaura man Jason Ah Sam and Larrukia woman Tahlia Kelly were announced as the first recipients of Mills' Indigenous Olympic coach scholarship on Thursday.

The scholarships aim to bridge the gap between the lack of Indigenous coaches in Australia's sporting landscape.

The gap is clear in the NRL. Indigenous players make up about 13 per cent of the league but have just one coach, and the disproportionate representation prompted players to call for more coaches in the game's ranks.

Mills understands the importance of coaching representation at the grassroot level.

"The reality is that challenges often stand in the way of that potential, for both coaches and players of basketball," Mills said.

"Through our powerful partnership with the AOC, we have designed a unique program that will not only combat those challenges but will also build capacity in the coaches themselves and equip them with valuable skills that they can then use deep within the community, ultimately inspiring and upskilling those around them.

"The power of this knowledge sharing cannot be underestimated."

One scholarship recipient, Demos, trained alongside Mills at the AIS in 2006 before the point-guard started his US college journey.

For the former NBL player, the scholarship will allow him to travel to remote Indigenous communities and run coaching programs to train the next generation.

He emphasised the importance of his coaches through his own playing career.

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"Coaches that I have had in juniors have played a massive part in not only my basketball career but my life in general," Demos said.

"I went to the AIS at 16 and my coach there ... was so much more than just my basketball coach.

"I've had the opportunity to go out to a lot of these communities all throughout Australia, and the amount of talent that is out there is unbelievable.

"These kids out there don't get as many opportunities as the kids in the city would get, so that's another positive of this [opportunity].

"Hopefully in 10 years' time we see the next Patty Mills come through."