"So it's probably important for me to take a page out of that book," said the 50-year-old, who will leave the AIS next week to become head of sport science with NBA franchise the Philadelphia 76ers. "It's definitely going to take me out of my comfort zone."

Martin has known no different since he left America with his new wife in August 1994, assuring her he wanted to spend only "one or two years" working in Canberra with international "trailblazers" of sports science.

Two kids and 21 years later, Martin will return to America with his family as one of those sport science trailblazers, recruited by the 76ers after a global search.

Martin has been at the cutting edge of physiology in Australian sport. He started in cycling, working with then-teenagers such as Cadel Evans, Robbie McEwen and Anna Meares.

"Cadel was like being involved in a piece of art that's become a masterpiece," Martin says. "To watch him go from a 17-year-old kid to winner of the Tour de France was really special."

Martin is known to his AIS colleagues for his innovation and drive. Most recently he has been pioneering Australia's national combat centre, a program designed to identify and produce Olympic medal-winning athletes from the relatively untapped sports of boxing, taekwondo and judo. It is a big part of Australia's Winning Edge philosophy, to return Australia to a top-five nation in Olympic sport.

"The one thing that's great is the AIS has not stagnated," Martin said. "The moves they're making are not comfortable moves, but they're exciting moves and they're keeping the Institute alive and challenged.

"It's our job to stand on the shoulders of all the giants who came before us and did all the heavy lifting and trailblazing, we've got to keep the dream, spirit and excellence alive. Although the Institute has changed, and it's really rough on some people habituated to the past, you have to keep growing. In elite sport, if you're not moving ahead, someone else is moving ahead of you."

Australians are making their mark in the NBA, with Canberra's Patty Mills and Aron Baynes winning the championship with San Antonio last year, and Andrew Bogut (Golden State) and Matt Dellavedova (Cleveland) still in contention for this season's title.

The Philadelphia 76ers, led by former Australian Boomers coach Brett Brown and part-owned by Hollywood star Will Smith, had the second-worst record in the NBA this season. Martin says that excites him.

"They want to do some amazing things, they want to give back to the city of Philly and make something the city can be proud of," Martin said. "It's been a long time since the team's been successful.

"I really prefer working with struggling teams, that's where Australian cycling was 20 years ago ... there's so much potential. I love that start-up mentality, I like taking the impossible, breaking it down with a team of excited people and saying let's make it possible. That's a real rush for me."

Martin has taken a leave of absence, leaving the door open for a potential return to the AIS at the end of his two-year contract in the NBA.

"It's hard not to get a little choked up talking about it," Martin says. "It's your life, these jobs at the AIS are so unique, your colleagues become your family. But we tell athletes all the time to embrace challenges and to continue trying to make yourself better."