Most know Dani as the discus world champion and Australian athletics golden girl. But after being a spectator at the past two Olympics, Casey is trying to forge her own path to the world's biggest sporting event with the Australian Opals.

The Canberra Capitals recruit is using Dani's discus rise as the inspiration to drive her own mission to the next Games.

The duo hopes a rivalry begun playing front-yard basketball, will reach a pinnacle in Rio in 2016.

They've shared the Olympic experience in Beijing and London with Dani competing as one of the world's best discus throwers. But being able to live in the athletes' village together is their goal.

''It's pretty exciting, when Rio comes around Casey will be 22 and I definitely think she has the world at her feet and is extremely talented,'' Dani said. ''Going to an Olympics is an amazing, amazing feeling. I can't even describe how it would feel [if Casey was in the village, too], I'd be the supporter.''

Casey is the talented guard the Capitals have recruited from the Australian Institute of Sport to bolster their squad for the WNBL season.

She started her rise this year with selection in the Australian under-19s and Opals coach Carrie Graf has already touted her as a future star.

As a teenager, Casey knows her Olympic dream is still a long way off. But she hopes the opportunity to work with Graf and one of the world's best players - Lauren Jackson - will boost her chances and accelerate her development.

''It's going to be great to learn lots off Lauren, I've never met her,'' Casey said.

''It's not so intimidating now because Lauren's not here, but it will be interesting when she arrives.

''I'm looking forward to it. It is a goal [to get to the Olympics] in the years to come, but I'm still young and I know I've got a lot of work to do.''

Casey's basketball passion began battling older sisters Dani and Jamie in those front-yard contests.

Jamie played with the Sydney Uni Flames and Dani was a junior star recruited to Westfield Sports High for basketball before switching to discus. Dani's decision paid off: she won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in 2006, made her Olympic debut in Beijing and became world champion in 2009.

Casey tried athletics as a junior, ''but it just wasn't my thing''. That hasn't stopped her being there for most of Dani's discus journey, travelling the world to watch her older sister compete.

Usually it's people asking Casey if she's related to Dani. But when it comes to basketball, Dani is happy to take a back seat.

When she met Capitals and Opals coach Graf on the Australian team's flight from London to Sydney, Dani introduced herself as ''Casey's sister'' instead of an Olympic competitor.

''I went up and said 'Hi, I'm Casey's sister' to Carrie so she didn't think I was a random,'' Dani said.

''I hope to be involved in Casey's basketball career and we're going to come down to some games.

''Getting to play with Lauren Jackson is going to be a great experience for Casey, and hopefully she can get to an Olympics faster by playing alongside Lauren.''

Dani is contemplating a return to basketball in the Waratah league in Sydney. But even if she gets on the court again, she doesn't expect to be able to challenge Casey.

''We've still got a ring at our holiday house, so whenever we go there there's always a competition to see who can slam dunk or those things, it's a big part of our life,'' Dani said.

''Casey's definitely got better ball skills than I ever had, I was just the muscle. But she's been bouncing a ball since she was two years old.

''I love basketball, I love the physical contact, I love the team environment.

''It's a lot different to throwing a discus and walking to get it 50 times at training.''

Meanwhile, the Capitals lost round two of the WNBL in Townsville last night and will finish their Queensland road trip against the Logan Thunder tonight before returning for next week's first home game against the Bulleen Boomers. Jackson will hopefully be right to play.