Patty Mills facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Patty Mills
AM

Mills with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022
No. 8 – Utah Jazz
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1988-08-11) 11 August 1988 (age 36) Canberra, ACT, Australia
High school	Marist College (Canberra, Australia) Lake Ginninderra (Canberra, Australia)
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 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–present
League	NBA
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–present	Utah Jazz
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2014) NBA Sportsmanship Award (2022) 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 11 August 1988) is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Patty grew up in Canberra, Australia. He is from Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Australian families.

In 2007, he became the third Indigenous basketball player to join the Australian national team. The Portland Trail Blazers picked Mills in the 2009 NBA draft. This was after he played two years of college basketball for the Saint Mary's Gaels.

Mills played for the Portland Trail Blazers for two seasons. In 2011, during an NBA break, he played in Australia and China. Mills returned to the United States in 2012 and joined the San Antonio Spurs. He became a key player off the bench. He helped the Spurs win the 2014 NBA championship. In 2021, he led the Australian Boomers to their first Olympic medal ever. This happened at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. People often call him "FIBA Patty" for his great Olympic performances. He is the 5th highest scorer in Olympic basketball history. Mills is known for his amazing three-point shots and his strong leadership.

Early Life and Family Background

Patty Mills was born in Canberra, Australia's capital city. His father, Benny, is a Torres Strait Islander. His mother, Yvonne, is Aboriginal Australian. She was taken from her parents as a child. This was part of a sad time in history called the Stolen Generations. Patty says learning about his mother's past helped him understand his own identity.

Patty's uncle, Danny Morseu, was also an Olympic basketball player. Danny was the second Indigenous Australian to play basketball at the Olympics. Patty became the third, 30 years later. Patty is also related to rugby league players Edrick Lee and Brenko Lee. Another basketball player, Nathan Jawai, is also his cousin. Patty's great-uncle was Eddie Mabo, a famous Indigenous land rights activist.

Starting His Basketball Journey

Patty Mills started playing basketball at age four. He joined a local Indigenous club his parents created called "The Shadows." When he was young, he was a ball boy for the Canberra Cannons. This was a team in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). His future college coach, David Patrick, played for the Cannons then. He became friends with the Mills family.

Patty also played Australian rules football at a high level. He could have played in the Australian Football League (AFL). But he chose to focus on basketball instead. In 2005, he impressed many at the Australian Olympic Youth Festival. This event shows off future top sports talents.

Mills went to Marist College in Canberra. He later attended the Australian Institute of Sport and Lake Ginninderra College.

In 2006, Mills won the RE Staunton Medal at the U20 Nationals. He helped Australia's Junior National Men's Team qualify for the 2007 Junior Men's World Championships. He was named the 2006 SEABL U/21 Australian Youth Player of the Year. He also won the 2006 Junior Male Player of the Year from Basketball Australia. The Deadlys Awards named him the "most promising new sports talent." These awards celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders' achievements.

College Basketball Career

Mills in December 2008, during his sophomore season

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

Mills was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Newcomer of the Year. He also made the All-WCC First Team. He helped the Gaels become a top-25 team for the first time in many years. As a freshman, he started all 32 games. He led the team with 14.8 points per game. He set a Saint Mary's freshman record with 472 points in a season. He also scored 37 points in one game against Oregon.

In his second year (2008–09), Mills averaged 18.4 points per game. He was again named to the All-WCC First Team. In April 2009, Mills decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he left college two years early.

Professional Basketball Journey

Portland Trail Blazers (2009–2011)

On 25 June 2009, the Portland Trail Blazers picked Mills. He was the 55th player chosen overall. He was the first Saint Mary's player drafted since 1983.

Mills broke a bone in his right foot in July 2009. This kept him from playing in the NBA Summer League. He signed with the Trail Blazers in October 2009. After healing, he played for the Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League.

Mills made his NBA debut on 4 January 2010. He played 10 games for the Trail Blazers in his first season. He scored a season-high 11 points in one game. In the 2010–11 season, Mills played in 64 games. He averaged 5.5 points per game. He scored a career-best 23 points in a game against Golden State.

Mills (center) strikes a "3 Goggles" pose with two fans in 2011.

Playing in Australia and China (2011–2012)

In 2011, the NBA had a lockout, meaning players couldn't play. Mills went back to Australia to play in the NBL. He signed with the Melbourne Tigers. In his first game, he scored 28 points.

Mills left the Tigers in November 2011 for a team in China. He joined the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. In January 2012, Xinjiang released Mills. He had a hamstring injury and wanted to return to the NBA. Mills denied claims that he faked his injury. He averaged 26.5 points per game in China.

San Antonio Spurs (2012–2021)

On 27 March 2012, Mills signed with the San Antonio Spurs. On 26 April 2012, he had a great game. He scored 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.

Mills re-signed with the Spurs in July 2012. In 2013, the Spurs made it to the 2013 NBA Finals. They lost to the Miami Heat. Mills missed the last four games due to a foot injury.

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

Mills worked hard and improved for the 2013–14 season. He played in 81 games, averaging 10.2 points. He helped the Spurs reach the NBA Finals again in 2014. They faced the Miami Heat once more. In Game 5, Mills scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter. This helped the Spurs win the game and the championship!

In 2017, Mills scored 20 points in a playoff game against the Memphis Grizzlies. In August 2017, he re-signed with the Spurs for a big contract. He became the third Spur to make 500 three-pointers as a reserve. He also became one of only three Spurs to score 3,000 career points as a reserve.

By March 2019, Mills was the only Spurs player to make over 120 three-pointers in five different seasons. On 19 January 2020, he made his 1,000th NBA three-pointer. He was the first Australian player to reach this goal.

In December 2020, he played his 600th game with the Spurs. He was the longest-tenured player on the team. He was also the only player left from the 2014 championship team. On 18 January 2021, Mills set an NBA record. He made the most three-point shots for one team as a reserve. On 14 March, he played his 706th game. This broke Andrew Bogut's record for most NBA games played by an Australian.

Brooklyn Nets (2021–2023)

Mills in the Three Point Contest during 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend

On 10 August 2021, Mills signed with the Brooklyn Nets. In his first game, he scored 21 points. He made all 7 of his three-point shots. This tied a league record for most threes in a debut with a new team. On 22 October, Mills became the first player to shoot perfectly from the three-point line in the first two games of a season. On 14 November, he scored 29 points. He made a career-high nine three-pointers.

On 22 November, Mills scored 17 points against the Cavaliers. This made him the highest-scoring Australian in NBA history. On 14 December, he played a career-high 43 minutes. He scored 30 points and made 7 three-pointers. On Christmas Day, Mills tied his career high with 34 points. He made 8 three-pointers, breaking the record for most threes on Christmas Day.

Mills re-signed with the Nets in July 2022.

Atlanta Hawks (2023–2024)

On 6 July 2023, Mills was traded to the Houston Rockets. Then, on 8 July, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Four days later, he was traded a third time to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks released Mills on 29 February 2024.

Miami Heat (2024)

On 6 March 2024, Mills signed with the Miami Heat.

Utah Jazz (2024–Present)

On 5 September 2024, Mills signed with the Utah Jazz.

Playing for Australia

In 2007, Mills played for the Boomers. This was his first time playing for the senior national team. He was the third Indigenous basketball player to play for Australia. He followed Olympians Michael Ah Matt and Danny Morseu. The next year, he played for Australia at the Beijing Olympics. He averaged 14.2 points per game.

Mills also played for Australia at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship. He then played at the 2012 London Olympics. At the 2012 Olympics, Mills had the highest scoring average. He scored 21.2 points per game. This was more than Kevin Durant of the United States.

In 2013 and 2015, Mills played in the FIBA Oceania Championship. In 2016, he helped the Boomers finish fourth at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Mills made history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He was the first Indigenous Australian to be a flag bearer. He carried the Australian flag with swimmer Cate Campbell at the opening ceremony. As captain, Mills led Australia to their first Olympic medal in men's basketball. He scored an amazing 42 points against Slovenia in the bronze medal game. His 42 points set an Olympic record for points in a medal game. He was also named to the Tokyo 2020 All-Star Five team.

Mills played for Australia again in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He scored 13 points against Greece. This moved him to fifth place on the all-time scoring list at the Olympics. He finished the tournament with 66 points. His career total reached 567 points.

Player Profile and Style

Mills is known for his excellent three-point shooting. He is also known for his dedication to his teams, like the San Antonio Spurs and the Boomers. People admire his energy and his strong leadership skills.

During the 2010–11 season, a fun trend started in the NBA. Players would make "3 Goggles" with their hands after making a three-point shot. Mills and his teammate Rudy Fernández are said to have started this trend. They would joke about Rudy's struggles with three-pointers. So when Rudy started making them, they would make the goggle gesture. This showed that his "vision was OK." T-shirts with the gesture became very popular.

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
Career		892	112	20.2	.424	.386	.856	1.6	2.2	.6	.1	8.8

Play-in

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
Career		98	11	16.0	.429	.380	.797	1.4	1.6	.5	.1	6.6

NBL

CBA

Regular season

College

Personal Life

Mills (left) with then-teammate Chris Johnson and Portland, Oregon mayor Sam Adams in June 2011, wearing "Assist Australia" t-shirts

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

In July 2014, Patty received the keys to the city of Canberra. This happened after the Spurs won the NBA championship.

In 2017, Mills helped write a series of books for young readers. These books were published in 2018 as Game Day! Championship Collection.

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.

Activism and Community Work

In 2011, Mills started a charity project called "Assist Australia." This project helped people after floods in Queensland. His first charity work was in 2010. He helped raise over $40,000 for flood relief.

Mills uses his fame to fight racism and police brutality. He especially focuses on these issues in Australia. In 2020, Mills helped start "We Got You." This campaign supports athletes fighting racism in Australian sports. He also gave about $1 million to groups like Black Lives Matter Australia. These groups work against Black Deaths in Custody.

Awards and Recognition

• 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). This was for his "significant service to basketball, to charitable initiatives to the Indigenous community."

See also

In Spanish: Patty Mills para niños

• List of NBA career 3-point scoring leaders