Patty Mills
The Canberra-born sharpshooter who turned a bench role into an Olympic legacy and a 2014 NBA title with San Antonio.
Patrick Sammie Mills is an Australian professional basketball player who joined the San Antonio Spurs in March 2012 after stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, Melbourne Tigers, and Xinjiang Flying Tigers. Born on August 11, 1988, in Canberra to a Torres Strait Islander father and an Aboriginal mother of the Kokatha people, Mills rose from playing for his parents' club 'The Shadows' to becoming a key contributor off the bench. His arrival in San Antonio followed a career-best 37-point game as a freshman at Saint Mary's College. Over nine seasons with the Spurs, he evolved into a vital part of their rotation, helping the team reach the NBA Finals twice and securing a championship title in 2014.
- Role
- Guard
- Affiliation
- San Antonio Spurs (2012–2021)
- Origin
- Canberra, Australia
- Status
- Former San Antonio Spurs Player
- Signature trait
- Three-Point Shooting
Lore & Background
Mills' time with the Spurs was defined by resilience and unexpected breakthroughs. After signing on March 27, 2012, he immediately made his mark, posting career highs of 34 points and 12 assists in a single game against the Golden State Warriors on April 26, 2012. This performance set the record for the highest single-game score by an Australian in NBA history at that time. The following season presented heartbreak; Mills missed the final four games of the 2013 NBA Finals due to an abscess removal on his right foot as the Spurs fell to the Miami Heat in seven games. However, he returned stronger for the 2013–14 campaign, playing a team-high 81 games and averaging a career-high 18.9 minutes per game. His leadership shone brightest in Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Finals against Miami, where he scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter to propel San Antonio to a 104–87 series-clinching victory and their first title since 2007.
Reader's Guide
Patty Mills is a dynamic guard known for his three-point shooting and leadership qualities. His career trajectory highlights the importance of seizing opportunities: after being assigned to the Idaho Stampede early in his tenure with Portland, he was recalled and eventually found stability in San Antonio. Fans should note his specific milestone performances, such as scoring 23 points in a loss to Golden State on April 15, 2013, which helped the Spurs reach the Finals that year. His physical transformation during the 2013 offseason, where he lost weight and lowered body fat, directly contributed to his increased minutes and effectiveness. While he played only two seasons with Portland, averaging 5.5 points in 64 games during 2010–11, it was his nine-year tenure with the Spurs that defined his professional legacy. His journey from a ball boy for the Canberra Cannons to an NBA champion illustrates a steady climb fueled by consistent performance and adaptability within the system.
Did You Know?
- Mills was the third Indigenous basketball player to represent the Australian national team in 2007.
- He scored a career-high 34 points against the Golden State Warriors on April 26, 2012, setting an NBA record for an Australian player at that time.
- In the 2014 NBA Finals Game 5, he scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter to help clinch the championship.
- Mills was awarded the RE Staunton Medal at the U20 Nationals in Perth in January 2006.
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