Patty Mills facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Patty Mills
AM

Mills with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022
Free agent
Point guard / shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1988-08-11) 11 August 1988 (age 37) Canberra, ACT, Australia
High school	Marist College (Canberra, Australia) Lake Ginninderra (Canberra, Australia)
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
College	Saint Mary's (2007–2009)
NBA Draft	2009 / Round: 2 / Pick: 55th overall
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Pro career	2009–2025
Career history
2009–2011	Portland Trail Blazers
2009–2010	→Idaho Stampede
2011	Melbourne Tigers
2011–2012	Xinjiang Flying Tigers
2012–2021	San Antonio Spurs
2021–2023	Brooklyn Nets
2023–2024	Atlanta Hawks
2024	Miami Heat
2024–2025	Utah Jazz
2025	Los Angeles Clippers
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2014) The Don Award Winner (2021) 3× Gaze Medalist (2008, 2010, 2021) 2× First-team All-WCC (2008, 2009) WCC Newcomer of the Year (2008) WCC All-Freshman Team (2008) No. 13 retired by Saint Mary's Gaels
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Australia Olympic Games Bronze 2020 Tokyo Team FIBA Oceania Championship Gold 2007 Australia Gold 2011 Australia Gold 2013 Australia Gold 2015 Australia

Patrick "Patty" Mills (born August 11, 1988) is an Australian professional basketball player. He recently played for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Patty is also the general manager for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors basketball team at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.

Patty grew up in Canberra, Australia. He is proud of his Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Australian heritage. In 2007, he became one of the first Indigenous basketball players to join the Australian national team.

After playing two years of college basketball for the Saint Mary's Gaels, Patty was chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2009 NBA draft. He later joined the San Antonio Spurs and helped them win the NBA championship in 2014. Patty also led the Australian Boomers to their first Olympic medal in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. He is famous for his amazing three-point shots and strong leadership.

Patty Mills' Early Life and Family History

Patty Mills was born in Canberra, Australia's capital city. His father, Benny, is a Torres Strait Islander. His mother, Yvonne, is an Aboriginal Australian.

Patty learned a lot about his family's history. His mother and her siblings were part of a group known as the "Stolen Generations." This means they were taken from their parents by the Australian government when they were young. Learning about this helped Patty understand his identity as an Indigenous Australian.

Patty comes from a family of athletes. His uncle, Danny Morseu, was an Olympian in basketball. Patty's cousins, Edrick Lee and Brenko Lee, play rugby league. Another cousin, Nathan Jawai, is also a basketball player. Patty's great-uncle, Eddie Mabo, was a famous activist who worked for Indigenous land rights.

Patty Mills' Basketball Journey Begins

Patty started playing basketball at age four. His parents created a local Indigenous club called "The Shadows." He grew up watching the Canberra Cannons of the NBL. Patty was even a ball boy for the team! His future college coach, David Patrick, played for the Cannons and knew Patty's family.

Patty was also good at Australian rules football. He could have played in the Australian Football League (AFL). But he chose to focus on basketball. In 2005, he impressed everyone at the Australian Olympic Youth Festival. This event showcases future sports stars.

Patty went to Marist College. Later, he studied at the Australian Institute of Sport and Lake Ginninderra College. He won the RE Staunton Medal in 2006 at the U20 Nationals. He helped Australia qualify for the 2007 Junior Men's World Championships.

In 2006, Patty was the youngest player chosen for the Australian Boomers squad. He was named the Junior Male Player of the Year by Basketball Australia. He also won the "most promising new sports talent" award at the Deadlys Awards. These awards celebrate achievements by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Patty also received the 2006 Australia Basketball Player of the Year award.

Patty Mills' College Basketball Years

Mills playing for Saint Mary's in 2008

In 2006, Patty decided to play college basketball in the United States. He joined Saint Mary's College of California for the 2007–08 season. He played alongside other Australians, Lucas Walker and Carlin Hughes.

Patty quickly became a star. He was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Newcomer of the Year. He also made the All-WCC First Team. He helped his team, the Gaels, become one of the top 25 teams in the country. As a freshman, he scored a record 37 points in one game.

In his second year (2008–09), Patty continued to excel. He averaged 18.4 points per game. He was again named to the All-WCC First Team. In April 2009, Patty decided to enter the 2009 NBA draft. This meant he would leave college early to become a professional player.

Patty Mills' Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2009–2011)

On June 25, 2009, the Portland Trail Blazers picked Patty Mills in the NBA draft. He was the 55th player chosen overall. This made him the first player from Saint Mary's to be drafted since 1983.

Patty broke his right foot during practice in July 2009. This meant he could not play in the NBA Summer League. He signed with the Trail Blazers in October 2009. He also played for the Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League.

Patty made his NBA debut on January 4, 2010. He played in 10 games during his first season. He scored a season-high 11 points in one game. In his second season (2010–11), Patty played in 64 games. He scored a career-best 23 points in a game against Golden State.

Playing in Australia and China (2011–2012)

Mills playing for the Melbourne Tigers in 2011

In 2011, the NBA had a lockout, which meant players couldn't play. Patty returned to Australia to play for the Melbourne Tigers in the NBL. In his first game, he scored 28 points.

Later, he received an offer from a Chinese team, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. He played 12 games for them, averaging 26.5 points per game. Patty left the team due to a hamstring injury and contract issues.

Becoming an NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs (2012–2021)

Mills (right) and teammate Aron Baynes with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy in 2014

On March 27, 2012, Patty signed with the San Antonio Spurs. He quickly showed his talent. On April 26, 2012, he scored a career-high 34 points and had 12 assists. This was his first NBA double-double. He set a record for the most points scored by an Australian in an NBA game.

Patty re-signed with the Spurs in 2012. The Spurs reached the 2013 NBA Finals but lost. Patty missed the last four games due to a foot injury. In 2013, he worked hard to improve his fitness. He played in 81 games, averaging 10.2 points.

In 2014, Patty helped the Spurs reach the 2014 NBA Finals again. This time, they won the championship! In Game 5, Patty scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter. This helped the Spurs win the series.

Patty continued to play for the Spurs for many years. He signed a new contract in 2017. In December 2017, he became one of only three Spurs players to score 3,000 career points as a reserve. He also became one of the top three-point shooters in Spurs history.

On January 19, 2020, Patty made his 1,000th NBA three-pointer. He was the first Australian player to reach this milestone. By December 2020, Patty was the longest-serving player on the Spurs. He was the only player left from their 2014 championship team. In March 2021, Patty played his 706th NBA game. This broke Andrew Bogut's record for most NBA games played by an Australian.

Playing for the Brooklyn Nets (2021–2023)

Mills at the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend

On August 10, 2021, Patty signed with the Brooklyn Nets. In his first game with the Nets, he scored 21 points. He made 7-of-7 three-point shots, tying an NBA record for a debut with a new team. He also became the first player to shoot perfectly from the three-point line in the first two games of a season.

On November 14, Patty scored 29 points and made a career-high nine three-pointers. On November 22, he passed Andrew Bogut for the most points scored by an Australian in the NBA. On Christmas Day, Patty tied his career high with 34 points. He made eight three-pointers, setting a new record for Christmas Day games.

Patty re-signed with the Nets in July 2022.

Recent Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Clippers (2023–2025)

In July 2023, Patty was traded to the Houston Rockets. He was then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and, four days later, to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks waived Patty in February 2024.

On March 6, 2024, Patty signed with the Miami Heat. He then signed with the Utah Jazz on September 5, 2024. On February 1, 2025, Patty was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. This move reunited him with former teammates Kawhi Leonard and Ben Simmons.

Patty Mills' Executive Career

On June 10, 2025, Patty Mills was hired as the general manager for the University of Hawaii basketball team. This is a new and exciting role for him!

Patty Mills' National Team Career

In 2007, Patty made his debut for the Boomers, Australia's national team. He was the third Indigenous basketball player to play for Australia in the Olympics. He played in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Patty also played for Australia in the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship. He represented his country again at the 2012 London Olympics. At those Olympics, Patty had the highest scoring average, with 21.2 points per game.

He continued to play for Australia in the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship and the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship. In 2016, he helped the Boomers finish fourth at the Rio Olympics.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Patty made history. He became the first Indigenous Australian to be a flag bearer for Australia. He carried the Australian flag alongside swimmer Cate Campbell at the opening ceremony. As captain, Patty led Australia to win their first-ever Olympic medal in men's basketball! He scored an amazing 42 points in the bronze medal game against Slovenia. This was an Olympic record for points in a medal round game.

Patty represented Australia again in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He moved to fifth place on the all-time Olympic scoring list. He finished the tournament as Australia's second-highest scorer.

Patty Mills' Player Profile

Patty Mills is known for his excellent three-point shooting. He is also praised for his commitment to teamwork and his strong leadership. He brings a lot of enthusiasm to every team he plays for.

During the 2010–11 season, Patty and his teammate Rudy Fernández started a fun trend called "3 Goggles." When a player made a three-point shot, they would make "goggles" with their hands over their eyes. This started as a joke about Rudy's shooting, but it became very popular in the NBA!

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2009–10	Portland	10	0	3.8	.417	.500	.571	.2	.5	.0	.0	2.6
2010–11	Portland	64	0	12.2	.412	.353	.766	.8	1.7	.4	.0	5.5
2011–12	San Antonio	16	3	16.3	.485	.429	1.000	1.8	2.4	.6	.1	10.3
2012–13	San Antonio	58	2	11.3	.469	.400	.842	.9	1.1	.4	.1	5.1
2013–14	San Antonio	81	2	18.9	.464	.425	.890	2.1	1.8	.8	.1	10.2
2014–15	San Antonio	51	0	15.7	.381	.341	.825	1.5	1.7	.5	.0	6.9
2015–16	San Antonio	81	3	20.5	.425	.384	.810	2.0	2.8	.7	.1	8.5
2016–17	San Antonio	80	8	21.9	.439	.413	.825	1.8	3.5	.8	.0	9.5
2017–18	San Antonio	82*	36	25.7	.411	.372	.890	1.9	2.8	.7	.1	10.0
2018–19	San Antonio	82*	1	23.3	.425	.394	.854	2.2	3.0	.6	.1	9.9
2019–20	San Antonio	66	1	22.5	.431	.382	.866	1.6	1.8	.8	.1	11.6
2020–21	San Antonio	68	1	24.8	.412	.375	.910	1.7	2.4	.6	.0	10.8
2021–22	Brooklyn	81	48	29.0	.408	.400	.814	1.9	2.3	.6	.2	11.4
2022–23	Brooklyn	40	2	14.2	.411	.366	.833	1.1	1.4	.4	.1	6.2
2023–24	Atlanta	19	0	10.6	.373	.382	—	1.1	.7	.5	.1	2.7
	Miami	13	5	16.4	.338	.208	1.000	1.2	1.5	.8	.0	5.8
2024–25	Utah	17	0	15.3	.342	.298	1.000	1.2	1.2	.7	.2	4.4
	L.A. Clippers	12	0	5.1	.500	.500	.889	.1	.4	.1	.0	3.1
Career		921	112	19.9	.423	.385	.857	1.6	2.2	.6	.1	8.7

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2010	Portland	3	0	4.1	.500	1.000	1.000	.0	1.0	.0	.0	2.0
2011	Portland	2	0	2.6	.000	.000	—	.5	.0	.0	.0	.0
2012	San Antonio	8	0	3.9	.545	.600	—	.4	.6	.1	.0	1.9
2013	San Antonio	9	0	3.4	.500	.286	—	.3	.2	.0	.0	1.3
2014	San Antonio	23	0	15.2	.447	.405	.769	1.5	1.4	.7	.0	7.3
2015	San Antonio	7	0	16.0	.500	.571	1.000	2.7	1.1	.3	.0	10.1
2016	San Antonio	10	0	16.7	.434	.361	.636	1.4	2.0	.7	.0	6.6
2017	San Antonio	16	6	26.0	.407	.360	.864	2.1	2.7	.8	.1	10.3
2018	San Antonio	5	5	33.0	.439	.371	.800	2.0	2.6	.6	.2	13.4
2019	San Antonio	7	0	21.8	.326	.136	.600	2.1	3.6	1.0	.1	5.3
2022	Brooklyn	4	0	18.1	.563	.538	—	1.0	.0	.0	.3	6.3
2023	Brooklyn	1	0	5.3	.000	.000	—	.0	.0	.0	.0	.0
2024	Miami	3	0	17.2	.353	.273	.750	.3	1.0	.3	.0	6.0
2025	L.A. Clippers	1	0	3.7	.500	1.000	—	.0	.0	.0	.0	3.0
Career		99	11	15.9	.430	.382	.797	1.4	1.6	.5	.1	6.6

NBL

CBA

Regular season

College

Patty Mills' Personal Life

Mills (left) with then-teammate Chris Johnson and Portland, Oregon mayor Sam Adams in 2011

Patty met his wife, Alyssa Mills (née Levesque), in college. She was also a basketball player at Saint Mary's College. They got married in Hawaii on July 8, 2019.

In July 2014, Patty received the "keys to the city" in Canberra. This was to celebrate the Spurs' NBA championship win.

In 2017, Patty co-wrote a series of books for young readers. The books, called Game Day! Championship Collection, were published in 2018.

Patty is a big fan of rugby league. He supports the Brisbane Broncos and the Queensland Maroons. He also cheers for the Adelaide Crows in Australian rules football.

Patty Mills' Activism and Community Work

In 2011, Patty started a charity project called "Assist Australia." This project helped people affected by floods in Queensland. His first charity work in 2010 raised over $40,000 for flood relief.

Patty uses his voice to fight against racism. In 2020, he helped launch "We Got You." This campaign supports athletes who are fighting racism in Australian sports. He also donated his entire 2020 NBA salary to organizations working against racism and supporting Indigenous communities.

Patty Mills' Recognition and Awards

• 2021 – Sport Australia Hall of Fame 'Don Award'
• 2021 – CBR Sports Awards – Men's Sport Athlete of the Year
• 2022 – ACT Representative for Australian of the Year
• 2022 – Appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to basketball, charity, and the Indigenous community.

See also

In Spanish: Patty Mills para niños