The 28-year-old will leave behind his Clinton home and travel to Napier for his first match with the Southland Sharks in the NBL season opener against the Hawke's Bay Hawks.
Having moved south from Auckland in January 2016, Aoake breaks many of the stereotypes in modern sport.
He is proof you do not have to live in a big city to play in a national league.
He is also proof you can still crack it in your late 20s, despite new players seemingly getting younger by the year.
Making the final squad was something he was thrilled with, although something he did not fully believe until the official list was made public.
``I didn't tell anyone, except my real close family, that maybe I'd made it,'' the 1.86m guard said.
``Everyone else found out when it was printed, because I didn't want to say anything in case it didn't happen.
``That's what happens with dreams as well - you've got to pinch yourself sometimes to make sure that it's all real, so I didn't want to [tell people] too early.''
In his first year out of Dilworth College, Aoake had been involved with the Harbour Heat in its pre-season, although never played for it.
Basketball had gone quiet for him when he began to focus on the 3x3 game in 2014.
He went to the world championships in Manila that year, as well as in 2015, being part of the team that qualified through winning the finals of the national tour.
However, with a baby - two-year-old son LJ - on the way and the cost of living rising in Auckland, he and partner Chantelle Meaola moved south.
That came after securing a job at infant formula company Danone Nutricia.
With encouragement from his family, he decided to have a go at making the Sharks, getting involved with the team's summer league and pre-season.
It turned out to be more than just his family supporting him.
Being one of the main organisers of the new Clutha summer league, which began this past year, the community had got behind him.
The league had been popular and gave its players a serious competition, a social competition over winter being the only previous option.
Providing that opportunity and showing that you could make it from there to the next level was a big motivator for Aoake.
``The real cool thing is it's real community-based,'' he said.
``Being a smaller town, everyone knows everyone and word gets around.
``So when I started going for it, all the kids got behind it and asked me how it's going and they're all encouraged to do it as well.
``I think for them especially now they can see they don't have to move to the big cities to get opportunities; they're comfortable where they are.
``I think that's a real big thing for me, so I'm happy for them I made it as well.''
He was excited for the season and was enjoying training with the high-level Sharks players - which include several Tall Blacks.
