Australian legend Patty Mills joins Tenerife after 15 years in the NBA
Nov 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Utah Jazz guard Patty Mills (8) gestures during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Tenerife has just made a major move in the market by securing the services of Patty Mills until the end of the season. The 36-year-old Australian guard is discovering European basketball for the first time in his career after a long journey in the NBA and with his national team.
Nationalities:
An impressive NBA resume forged in San Antonio
Born in Canberra on August 11, 1988, Mills built his reputation during a remarkably long NBA career. Drafted in 2009 by Portland in the second round (55th pick), he played a total of 1,020 NBA games – 921 in the regular season and 99 in the playoffs – wearing the jerseys of seven different franchises.
The most memorable chapter of his career was written in San Antonio, where he played for an entire decade (2011-2021) under Gregg Popovich. With the Spurs, Mills averaged 10.2 points per game with a remarkable 42% three-point shooting percentage, and won the NBA title in 2014. This Texas period truly established his reputation as a perimeter shooting specialist and playoff performer.
After San Antonio, the Australian continued his NBA journey with Brooklyn (2021-2023), Atlanta (2023-2024), Miami (2023-2024), Utah (2024-2025) and most recently the LA Clippers (2024-2025), his last franchise before crossing the Atlantic.
A living legend of FIBA basketball
Beyond his club career, Mills has established himself as a true legend of international basketball with Australia. A five-time Olympian (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024), he won the bronze medal in Tokyo and had the honor of being his country’s flag bearer at those same Games.
His international resume also includes three World Cup appearances: Turkey 2010, China 2019 and Philippines-Japan-Indonesia 2023. In 64 official appearances with the Boomers in major competitions, Mills has averaged 17.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3 assists per game.
The arrival of this veteran to the Canaries represents a masterstroke for Tenerife, which secures the services of a player with international experience for the end of the season. Mills brings not only his shooting talent, but also his leadership and high-level knowledge, valuable assets for the club’s European ambitions.
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