Steve Mills (sports executive) facts for kids

Steve Mills was born on October 6, 1959. He is an American sports leader who used to be the president of the New York Knicks basketball team.

Early Life and Schooling

Steve Mills went to Friends Academy in Locust Valley. He then studied at Princeton University. In 1981, he earned a degree in Sociology from Princeton.

Playing College Basketball

Mills played college basketball for the Princeton Tigers. He played from 1978 to 1981. His coach was Pete Carril. One of his teammates was David Blatt, who later became an NBA coach.

In his final year, Mills scored about 12 points per game. He also made 1.5 steals per game. After college, he was not chosen in the 1981 NBA draft. He first took a job at Chemical Bank. However, he got an offer to play basketball in Ecuador. Chemical Bank agreed to hold his job for him. He joined the bank in 1982 after playing professionally.

Working in Sports Management

Starting at the NBA

Steve Mills began working for the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1984. He had worked at Chemical Bank before this. He spent 16 years working for the NBA.

He started in the corporate sponsorship department. This means he helped companies partner with the NBA. He also managed programs for NBA properties. Later, he became the vice-president of special events. After that, he was the senior vice-president of Basketball and Player Development.

Leading Madison Square Garden

In 2003, Mills became a top leader at Madison Square Garden (MSG). He was the Chief Operating Officer and Sports Business President. His job was to manage the daily business of MSG. This included the money and plans for several sports teams.

He oversaw the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), and the New York Liberty (WNBA). He was also in charge of other sports events. These included boxing, college basketball, and track & field.

Joining Magic Johnson Enterprises

In 2009, Mills left MSG. He joined Magic Johnson Enterprises. This company was started by the famous basketball player Magic Johnson. Mills helped create a special group there. It was called the Athletes & Entertainers Wealth Management Group, LLC. He was a partner in this group.

Working for the New York Knicks

On September 26, 2013, Steve Mills joined the New York Knicks. He became the executive vice president and general manager. This meant he helped manage the team's players and daily operations.

On July 14, 2017, the Knicks made another announcement. They said Scott Perry would be the new general manager. At the same time, Steve Mills became the new president of the Knicks. He took over from Phil Jackson. Mills left the Knicks on February 4, 2020.

Important Groups and Boards

Steve Mills has been part of many important groups. He was on the Board of Trustees for USA Basketball. He also served on the Board of Trustees for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Currently, he is on the Board of Advisors for the Hospital for Special Surgery. He is also on the Board of Directors for Harlem Junior Tennis. He serves on the Board of Trustees for Ariel Investments. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Princeton University Varsity Club. He helps lead the Princeton University Connect Initiative Task Force too.

Awards and Recognition

In 2003, Steve Mills was named Black Enterprise magazine's Corporate Executive of the Year. In 2005, Black Enterprise also listed him as one of the Top Front Office Team Executives. He was on their list of the 50 Most Powerful Blacks in Sports.

Personal Life

Steve Mills was born in Roosevelt, New York. His father, Ollie Mills, was a teacher and a basketball coach. His mother worked as a social worker. Steve grew up as a fan of the Knicks. He lived near NBA legend Julius Erving. Steve Mills and his wife, Beverly, live in Manhattan. They also have a home in South Orange, New Jersey. They have two daughters and a dog.