Patrick Mills
Encyclopedia
Patrick "Patty" Sammie Mills (born 11 August 1988 in Canberra
, Australian Capital Territory
) is an Indigenous Australian
professional basketball
player who plays as a point guard
for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers
.
In the NBA, he has played for the Portland Trail Blazers
. He is one of the first Indigenous Australians
to play basketball in the NBA, and is one of the youngest players ever to suit up for the Australian national basketball team, the Boomers.
and his mother is an Aboriginal from the Ynunga people of South Australia
. He was first exposed to basketball as a four-year-old with The Shadows, an Indigenous Australian team that his parents established. Mills attended Marist College Canberra
where he played a variety of sports in addition to basketball, such as Australian football and athletics. He served as ball boy for the Canberra Cannons
of the NBL
around 2000. During that time, his family developed a close relationship with Cannons player David Patrick, who would eventually play a key role in Mills' career.
At the age of 15, Mills was selected for the ACT
U-18 squad to compete in the Australian National Championships. The following year, Mills accepted a full-time scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport
, which had also developed three-time WNBA
MVP Lauren Jackson
and current Milwaukee Bucks
player Andrew Bogut
, where he continued to develop as a player. He also made a strong impression at the 2005 Australian Olympic Youth Festival, an event considered to be a showcase for future elite sporting talents.
In January 2006, he received the RE Staunton Medal as top player in the Australia under-20 national championships. In April that year, he received more international attention when he was named to the World team of under-20 players that played a US team of the same age group at the Nike
Hoop Summit in Memphis, Tennessee
. Mills led the World squad with 6 assists and also added 8 points in a losing effort. He was one of 22 players invited to try out for the Australia squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championship
, becoming the youngest player ever to participate in a Boomers training camp. While he was in training with the Boomers in July, he was named by Basketball Australia
as the Junior Male Player of the Year. Mills also had an outstanding 2006 season with the AIS men's team in the South East Australian Basketball League
(SEABL), earning him a place on the All SEABL East men's team and the honour of 2006 SEABL U-21 Australian Youth Player of the Year. He went on to be named the 2006 Basketball Australia Player of the Year, and also received two major awards from Indigenous Australian organisations—The Deadlys Award
for Most Promising New Talent in Sport and NAIDOC's
National Sportsperson of the Year.
in August 2007, he played for Australia at the FIBA U-19 World Championship
in Serbia
, in which Australia finished fifth. He was then called up to the Boomers in July 2007, making his debut against Austria
on 31 July in an international friendly tournament in Bormio
, Italy. Mills scored 11 points off the bench and was credited with changing the complexion of the match, which Australia won 84–63. This not only made him one of the youngest Boomers ever, but also made him only the third Indigenous Australian, after Michael Ah Mat in the 1960s and Danny Morseu
in the 1980s, to play for the Boomers. Mills went on to make the Boomers squad for the FIBA Oceania Championship
, which doubled as a qualifier
for the 2008 Olympics
. His main highlight in the competition, which was a three-match series against Australia's trans-Tasman
rivals New Zealand
, came in the second and ultimately deciding match. Mills came off the bench to score 17 points, helping lead the Boomers to a 93–67 rout of the Tall Blacks that punched their ticket to Beijing
.
Mills was a member of the Australian squad that gave the USA Basketball team its closest tune-up game of the summer before the Beijing Olympics
. The USA National team beat Australia 87–76 in its exhibition game
in Shanghai
, China. Australia's star player, the Milwaukee Bucks
' Andrew Bogut
, did not play because of a sore right ankle. Mills, the youngest player on the floor, was impressive as he added 13 points for the Australian squad.
Mills averaged a team-best 14.2 points, all off the bench, in the six games the Aussies played in Beijing. He scored 20 points in a quarterfinal loss to the United States, with three assists, two steals and zero turnovers in 28 minutes.
At the London International Basketball Invitational, the Boomers lost a tight contest to France
71-67. Playing against NBA star Tony Parker
, Mills scored a team high 20 points. The following game against Croatia
, Mills led the Boomers to a 78-66 win, scoring a game high 22 points.
during the NCAA national early signing period in November 2006. Although he was pursued by several other NCAA
Division I schools such as Utah
(where Bogut played before coming to the NBA
), Wake Forest
, Alabama
, and Nebraska
(where he would have joined fellow Australian Aleks Maric
), he came to Saint Mary's, indicating that he was comfortable with the Gaels' head coach Randy Bennett
. Also, just prior to the 2006–07 season, Bennett had hired Mills' old family friend David Patrick as an assistant coach. Mills became the fifth Australian that Bennett successfully recruited since arriving at Moraga in 2001. One of the other Australians to have played under Bennett at Saint Mary's was fellow AIS old boy Daniel Kickert, the Gaels' all-time leading scorer.
Mills also followed in Kickert's footsteps in another way, becoming the first freshman to start for the Gaels since Kickert did so in the 2002–03 season. He first broke into the American basketball consciousness in his fourth game of the 2007–08 season, when he scored 37 points to lead the Gaels to an upset of nationally ranked Oregon
on 20 November 2007. The win also validated pre-season expectations for the Gaels, who were picked before the season to finish second in the West Coast Conference
behind traditional conference power Gonzaga
. The Gaels went on to start the season 7-0 and earn their first national ranking since 1989. The Gaels also won the 2007 edition of the Rainbow Classic, an annual eight-team December tournament hosted by the University of Hawaii
, with Mills being named tournament MVP.
The Gaels were nationally ranked for most of the season, ultimately finishing second in WCC regular-season play to Gonzaga
. After the regular season, Mills was named WCC Newcomer of the Year and also made the All-WCC first team. At the end of the regular season, Mills was the second-leading freshman scorer in the WCC at 14.4 points per game, and also led all WCC freshmen in assists (3.47 per game) and steals (1.80 per game).
The Gaels went on to the NCAA tournament
, where they lost in the first round to Miami (FL)
. In that game, Mills' 24 points made him the only Gael to score in double figures, and he also led the Gaels with 5 assists.
Despite the 19-hour time difference between Mills' hometown of Canberra and the U.S. West Coast
, Australian television showed Gaels games live.
, waiting until the final minutes of the deadline before making the decision. He was selected with the 25th pick of the second round (55th pick overall) by the Portland Trail Blazers
.
During practice for the NBA Summer League
, he suffered a fracture in his right foot, and required surgery. He signed with the Blazers in October 2009 after speculation of whether he would be signed at all due to the injury and the number of point guards already on the roster.
After completing rehabilitation from surgery on his foot in December, Mills was assigned to the Idaho Stampede
of the NBA Development League. In his debut with Idaho, he scored 38 points and added 12 assists and 3 rebounds. After one more game with the Stampede, in which he scored the game-winning basket, Mills made his NBA debut for the Trail Blazers on 4 January. In just under 5 minutes he registered 2 assists but scored no points. Mills was re-assigned to the Stampede on 13 January 2010, but returned to the Blazers later that month. Mills saw his minute allocation rise in December 2010, and his statistical contribution rose accordingly. It marked the first significant court-time for Mills in his NBA career. Mills along with fellow teammate Rudy Fernández
donated 50% of the proceeds from their jerseys sales, throughout the month of January, to help those affected by the floods in Australia
.
On 13 April 2011, the final game of the regular season, Mills hit a career-high 23 points against the Golden State Warriors
on 7-16 from the field and 4-7 from three-point range, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
, Mills signed with the Melbourne Tigers
in Australia for the 2011-12 NBL season. On 7 October, he suited up for the Tigers' first home game
against the Sydney Kings
in Round 1, scoring 28 points and leading the Tigers to a 82-76 win in the inaugural Capital City Clash. After playing 9 games for the Tigers, Mills announced he would be leaving the Tigers to play in China with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. He finished his short NBL stint with averages of 18.6 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game and 5 assists per game.
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Portland
| 10 || 0 || 3.8 || .417 || .500 || .571 || .2 || .5 || .0 || .0 || 2.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Portland
| 64 || 0 || 12.2 || .412 || .353 || .766 || .8 || 1.7 || .4 || .0 || 5.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 74 || 0 || 11.1 || .412 || .358 || .741 || .7 || 1.5 || .4 || .0 || 5.1
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Portland
| 3 || 0 || 4.0 || .500 || 1.000 || 1.000 || .0 || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Portland
| 2 || 0 || 2.5 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .5 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 5 || 0 || 3.4 || .333 || .500 || 1.000 || .2 || .6 || .0 || .0 || 1.2
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
) is an Indigenous Australian
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who plays as a point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers
Xinjiang Flying Tigers
Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers or Xinjiang Flying Tigers or Xinjiang Guanghui are a basketball team in the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Ürümqi, Xinjiang. Its corporate sponsor is Xinjiang Guanghui Group, Ltd...
.
In the NBA, he has played for the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
. He is one of the first Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
to play basketball in the NBA, and is one of the youngest players ever to suit up for the Australian national basketball team, the Boomers.
Early life and career
Mills' father is a Torres Strait IslanderTorres Strait Islanders
Torres Strait Islanders are the indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, part of Queensland, Australia. They are culturally and genetically linked to Melanesian peoples and those of Papua New Guinea....
and his mother is an Aboriginal from the Ynunga people of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. He was first exposed to basketball as a four-year-old with The Shadows, an Indigenous Australian team that his parents established. Mills attended Marist College Canberra
Marist College Canberra
Marist College Canberra is an all-boys independent Catholic school school founded in 1968. The college is situated on 15 hectares and located in the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra. The college provides boys from years 4-12 with a well-rounded education. Founded by Marist Brothers, it...
where he played a variety of sports in addition to basketball, such as Australian football and athletics. He served as ball boy for the Canberra Cannons
Canberra Cannons
The Canberra Cannons were a basketball team competing in the Australian National Basketball League. They went into financial administration in 2003 and were relocated to Newcastle, where they became the Hunter Pirates...
of the NBL
National Basketball League (Australasia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
around 2000. During that time, his family developed a close relationship with Cannons player David Patrick, who would eventually play a key role in Mills' career.
At the age of 15, Mills was selected for the ACT
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
U-18 squad to compete in the Australian National Championships. The following year, Mills accepted a full-time scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
, which had also developed three-time WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
MVP Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
and current Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
player Andrew Bogut
Andrew Bogut
Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the United States' National Basketball Association....
, where he continued to develop as a player. He also made a strong impression at the 2005 Australian Olympic Youth Festival, an event considered to be a showcase for future elite sporting talents.
In January 2006, he received the RE Staunton Medal as top player in the Australia under-20 national championships. In April that year, he received more international attention when he was named to the World team of under-20 players that played a US team of the same age group at the Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Hoop Summit in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Mills led the World squad with 6 assists and also added 8 points in a losing effort. He was one of 22 players invited to try out for the Australia squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
, becoming the youngest player ever to participate in a Boomers training camp. While he was in training with the Boomers in July, he was named by Basketball Australia
Basketball Australia
Basketball Australia is the governing and controlling body of basketball in Australia, responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels.Formed in 1939 the organisation was constituted in 1946...
as the Junior Male Player of the Year. Mills also had an outstanding 2006 season with the AIS men's team in the South East Australian Basketball League
South East Australian Basketball League
The South East Australian Basketball League, often abbreviated to the SEABL consists of two men's and one women's conferences in the Australian Basketball Association . The SEABL conferences are considered the strongest in the ABA, developing many emerging Australian Boomers players, as well as...
(SEABL), earning him a place on the All SEABL East men's team and the honour of 2006 SEABL U-21 Australian Youth Player of the Year. He went on to be named the 2006 Basketball Australia Player of the Year, and also received two major awards from Indigenous Australian organisations—The Deadlys Award
The Deadlys
The Deadlys are an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. Vibe Australia hosts the awards, which for have been held at the Sydney Opera House since 2001. The first Deadly awards were held in 1995...
for Most Promising New Talent in Sport and NAIDOC's
NAIDOC
NAIDOC is an awareness committee and the name of an Australian week of observance lasting from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday....
National Sportsperson of the Year.
National Team
After repeating as Staunton Medallist in 2007, Mills completed his scholarship with the AIS and opted to play for Saint Mary's. Before arriving in the Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
in August 2007, he played for Australia at the FIBA U-19 World Championship
FIBA Under-19 World Championship 2007
2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship was held in Novi Sad, Serbia from July 12, 2007 until July 22.-Final classification:-Medal rosters:*Gold: Serbia - Milan Mačvan, Stefan Marković, Mladen Jeremić, Stefan Stojačić, Slaven Čupković, Miroslav Raduljica, Marko Čakarević, Marko Kešelj-External...
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, in which Australia finished fifth. He was then called up to the Boomers in July 2007, making his debut against Austria
Austria national basketball team
The Austrian national basketball team is the basketball side that represents Austria in international competitions. Austria qualified six times for EuroBasket, reaching the 11th place in 1947 and 1951 for their best performance...
on 31 July in an international friendly tournament in Bormio
Bormio
Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
, Italy. Mills scored 11 points off the bench and was credited with changing the complexion of the match, which Australia won 84–63. This not only made him one of the youngest Boomers ever, but also made him only the third Indigenous Australian, after Michael Ah Mat in the 1960s and Danny Morseu
Danny Morseu
Danny Morseu is an Australian basketball player who played on the Australian national basketball team in the 1980 Summer Olympics and 1984 Summer Olympics.-International career:...
in the 1980s, to play for the Boomers. Mills went on to make the Boomers squad for the FIBA Oceania Championship
FIBA Oceania Championship 2007
The FIBA Oceania Championship for Men 2007 was the qualifying tournament of FIBA Oceania for the men's basketball tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing. The tournament, a best-of-three series between Australia and New Zealand, was held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane...
, which doubled as a qualifier
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's qualification
The men's qualification for Olympic basketball tournament occurred from 2006–2008; all five FIBA zones sent in teams....
for the 2008 Olympics
Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
. His main highlight in the competition, which was a three-match series against Australia's trans-Tasman
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
rivals New Zealand
New Zealand national basketball team
The New Zealand national basketball team represents New Zealand in international basketball competitions. It is nicknamed the Tall Blacks, derived from the name of New Zealand's Rugby union team, the All Blacks.-History:...
, came in the second and ultimately deciding match. Mills came off the bench to score 17 points, helping lead the Boomers to a 93–67 rout of the Tall Blacks that punched their ticket to Beijing
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Mills was a member of the Australian squad that gave the USA Basketball team its closest tune-up game of the summer before the Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. The USA National team beat Australia 87–76 in its exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China. Australia's star player, the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
' Andrew Bogut
Andrew Bogut
Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the United States' National Basketball Association....
, did not play because of a sore right ankle. Mills, the youngest player on the floor, was impressive as he added 13 points for the Australian squad.
Mills averaged a team-best 14.2 points, all off the bench, in the six games the Aussies played in Beijing. He scored 20 points in a quarterfinal loss to the United States, with three assists, two steals and zero turnovers in 28 minutes.
At the London International Basketball Invitational, the Boomers lost a tight contest to France
France national basketball team
The French national basketball team is the national basketball team representing France. It is administrated by the Fédération Française de Basket-Ball . The team has been competitive, but has yet to win a major international tournament...
71-67. Playing against NBA star Tony Parker
Tony Parker
William Anthony "Tony" Parker is a French professional basketball player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA....
, Mills scored a team high 20 points. The following game against Croatia
Croatia national basketball team
The Croatian national basketball team represents Croatia at international tournaments. It is organized by the Croatian Basketball Federation...
, Mills led the Boomers to a 78-66 win, scoring a game high 22 points.
Saint Mary's College
Mills signed with Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaSaint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
during the NCAA national early signing period in November 2006. Although he was pursued by several other NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I schools such as Utah
Utah Utes men's basketball
The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
(where Bogut played before coming to the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
), Wake Forest
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball
The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program has a history of being among the best of the Southeastern Conference . It trails only Kentucky in basketball wins, SEC tournament titles, and SEC regular season titles in the 12-member conference. The team is coached by head coach Anthony Grant,...
, and Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college basketball. The program saw its first game in 1896 playing 7-on-7 basketball. The first collegiate game was against Nebraska Wesleyan University...
(where he would have joined fellow Australian Aleks Maric
Aleks Maric
Aleksandar "Aleks" Marić is an Australian professional basketball player of Serbian descent. He stands 2.11 m tall and weighs 125 kg ....
), he came to Saint Mary's, indicating that he was comfortable with the Gaels' head coach Randy Bennett
Randy Bennett
Randy Bennett is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Saint Mary's College of California. Bennett has led the Gaels to a 183–103 record in his nine years as head coach...
. Also, just prior to the 2006–07 season, Bennett had hired Mills' old family friend David Patrick as an assistant coach. Mills became the fifth Australian that Bennett successfully recruited since arriving at Moraga in 2001. One of the other Australians to have played under Bennett at Saint Mary's was fellow AIS old boy Daniel Kickert, the Gaels' all-time leading scorer.
Mills also followed in Kickert's footsteps in another way, becoming the first freshman to start for the Gaels since Kickert did so in the 2002–03 season. He first broke into the American basketball consciousness in his fourth game of the 2007–08 season, when he scored 37 points to lead the Gaels to an upset of nationally ranked Oregon
Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks refers to the sports teams of the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. The Oregon Ducks are part of the Pacific-12 Conference in the Division 1 of the NCAA. With seventeen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and Track and Field...
on 20 November 2007. The win also validated pre-season expectations for the Gaels, who were picked before the season to finish second in the West Coast Conference
West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....
behind traditional conference power Gonzaga
Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
The Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Gonzaga University. The school competes in the West Coast Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. The Gaels went on to start the season 7-0 and earn their first national ranking since 1989. The Gaels also won the 2007 edition of the Rainbow Classic, an annual eight-team December tournament hosted by the University of Hawaii
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
The University of Hawaii Warriors, University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, or University of Hawaii Rainbows are the team names of the men's sports programs at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa....
, with Mills being named tournament MVP.
The Gaels were nationally ranked for most of the season, ultimately finishing second in WCC regular-season play to Gonzaga
2007-08 Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team
-Roster:-Season build-up:Coach Mark Few hit the recruiting trail hard in the offseason with the Coach proclaiming it's "the best we've ever had here". Few managed to recruit sought-after forward Austin Daye, Junior College transfer Ira Brown, Robert Sacre and Steven Gray, a prized point/shooting...
. After the regular season, Mills was named WCC Newcomer of the Year and also made the All-WCC first team. At the end of the regular season, Mills was the second-leading freshman scorer in the WCC at 14.4 points per game, and also led all WCC freshmen in assists (3.47 per game) and steals (1.80 per game).
The Gaels went on to the NCAA tournament
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
, where they lost in the first round to Miami (FL)
Miami Hurricanes
The Miami Hurricanes, of Coral Gables, Florida, are the varsity sports teams of the University of Miami. They compete in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The university fields 15 athletic teams for 17 varsity sports...
. In that game, Mills' 24 points made him the only Gael to score in double figures, and he also led the Gaels with 5 assists.
Despite the 19-hour time difference between Mills' hometown of Canberra and the U.S. West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
, Australian television showed Gaels games live.
NBA career
In April 2009, Mills entered the 2009 NBA Draft2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, waiting until the final minutes of the deadline before making the decision. He was selected with the 25th pick of the second round (55th pick overall) by the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
.
During practice for the NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
, he suffered a fracture in his right foot, and required surgery. He signed with the Blazers in October 2009 after speculation of whether he would be signed at all due to the injury and the number of point guards already on the roster.
After completing rehabilitation from surgery on his foot in December, Mills was assigned to the Idaho Stampede
Idaho Stampede
The Idaho Stampede is an American basketball team that plays in the NBA Development League. The team is based in the Boise, Idaho, area and as of 2005 plays at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The team was founded as a member of the Continental Basketball Association in 1997 and was league runner-up...
of the NBA Development League. In his debut with Idaho, he scored 38 points and added 12 assists and 3 rebounds. After one more game with the Stampede, in which he scored the game-winning basket, Mills made his NBA debut for the Trail Blazers on 4 January. In just under 5 minutes he registered 2 assists but scored no points. Mills was re-assigned to the Stampede on 13 January 2010, but returned to the Blazers later that month. Mills saw his minute allocation rise in December 2010, and his statistical contribution rose accordingly. It marked the first significant court-time for Mills in his NBA career. Mills along with fellow teammate Rudy Fernández
Rudy Fernández (basketball)
Rodolfo "Rudy" Fernández y Farrés is a Spanish professional basketball player. He is a 6'6" tall shooting guard/small forward who is currently signed to the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, though he will play for Real Madrid until the current NBA lockout ends...
donated 50% of the proceeds from their jerseys sales, throughout the month of January, to help those affected by the floods in Australia
Floods in Australia
This is a list of notable recorded floods that have occurred in the country of Australia.-Further reading:* Devin, L.B. and D.L. Purcell Flooding in Australia Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service ISBN 0644026278 : .-External links:* .* ....
.
On 13 April 2011, the final game of the regular season, Mills hit a career-high 23 points against the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on 7-16 from the field and 4-7 from three-point range, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Three goggles
During the 2010-11 NBA season, Mills and teammate Rudy Fernandez created a trend in which certain Blazers formed the "A-OK" sign with each hand and placed them over their eyes after making a three-point shot. The gesture was meant to resemble a pair of goggles with three fingers in the air to reference the shot just made. When Fernandez would struggle with his three-pointers, Mills used to joke that he needed help seeing. After knocking down threes, Fernandez would put on the goggles as if to say, "I can see with these on." The trend quickly spread across the team, becoming routine for players such as Mills, Fernandez, Wesley Matthews and Brandon Roy. T-Shirts with the gesture were printed and popularly sold in Portland. Nuggets guard J. R. Smith performed the goggles after sinking a three-pointer against the Blazers, a gesture which irritated some in Portland but showed the popularity of the trend.NBL
On 29 August 2011, during the 2011 NBA lockout2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Mills signed with the Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
in Australia for the 2011-12 NBL season. On 7 October, he suited up for the Tigers' first home game
State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball Hockey Centre is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home arena of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in the ANZ Championship, and the Melbourne Tigers National Basketball League team. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to...
against the Sydney Kings
Sydney Kings
The Sydney Kings are a professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. They are the only team to date to win three consecutive championships in the NBL and currently sit third behind the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne Tigers two away from the record five wins...
in Round 1, scoring 28 points and leading the Tigers to a 82-76 win in the inaugural Capital City Clash. After playing 9 games for the Tigers, Mills announced he would be leaving the Tigers to play in China with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. He finished his short NBL stint with averages of 18.6 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game and 5 assists per game.
Regular season
|-Tigers sign NBA star Boomer Patty Mills| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 10 || 0 || 3.8 || .417 || .500 || .571 || .2 || .5 || .0 || .0 || 2.6
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 64 || 0 || 12.2 || .412 || .353 || .766 || .8 || 1.7 || .4 || .0 || 5.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 74 || 0 || 11.1 || .412 || .358 || .741 || .7 || 1.5 || .4 || .0 || 5.1
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2009–10
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 3 || 0 || 4.0 || .500 || 1.000 || 1.000 || .0 || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Portland
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
| 2 || 0 || 2.5 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .5 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 5 || 0 || 3.4 || .333 || .500 || 1.000 || .2 || .6 || .0 || .0 || 1.2
Career highlights
- 2009 – Drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft2009 NBA DraftThe 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, the second Indigenous Australian to be drafted into the NBA - 2008 – Australia Post Boomers squad member; Beijing Olympics
- 2008 – WCC Newcomer of the Year, All-WCC First Team
- 2007 – MVP Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic, Saint Mary's College Tournament champions
- 2007 – West Coast Conference Player of the Month: December 2007
- 2007 – West Coast Conference Player of the Week: 26 November 2007 and 26 December 2007
- 2007 – In just his fourth NCAA game for Saint Mary's, Mills dominated with 37 points against Oregon – the sixth-best return in the school's history, and best by a first-year player.
- 2007 – Australia Post Boomers squad member; Under-19 men squad member;
- 2006 – Boomers squad member (youngest at 17 years of age); AIS scholarship; Australian Junior Camp; U-20 World team at Nike Hoops Summit (USA); U-20 National Championships representing ACT and RE Staunton Medallist
- 2005 – AIS scholarship; Australian Junior Camp; Youth Olympic Festival Australian men's team (gold); U-18 National Championships representing ACT
- 2004 – U-18 National Championships representing ACT
- 2003 – Marist All Ages Basketball Tournament – MVP