PROFESSIONAL: Patrick was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 25th pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft. After returning from a right foot fracture, he averaged 2.6 ppg in 10 games for the Trail Blazers his rookie season. Patrick averaged 25.6 ppg in 5 games with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League. He is averaging 12.6 minutes per game and 5.5 ppg for the 2010-11 season.
COLLEGE: As a sophomore, Patrick averaged a team high 18.4 ppg and ranked second on the team with 101 assists and 57 steals for Saint Mary’s College. He scored in double figures in 25-of-26 games and had a season-high 31 points against WCC rival Santa Clara, when he hit the game-winning three with 2.4 seconds on the clock. He scored 20 points or more 10 times, bringing his career total to 19 games. Patrick also dished out 5 or more assists in 9 games, including a career-high 10 assists against Davidson in the second round of the NIT. He knocked down a team-best 67 three-pointers on 33.8 percent shooting. As a true freshman, he started all 32 games for the Gaels and set a Saint Mary’s freshman record for points in a season with 472. Patrick also led the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and scored in double-figures 24 times. He set the freshman mark for points in a game with a 37-point performance against then #11 ranked Oregon. He led the team in steals, averaging 1.8 steals per game.
COLLEGIATE HIGHLIGHTS: Patrick was named to the First Team All-West Coast Conference both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Named a First Team High-Major All-American by CollegeHoops.net and was a Third Team Preseason All-American selection by ESPN.com. He was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, which honors the nation’s top point guard. Patrick was only collegiate basketball player competing in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China as a member of the Australian national basketball team (the Boomers). He scored 20 points in the quarterfinals game against the United States, recording 3 assists, 2 steals and no turnovers in 28 minutes. He was the youngest player in the history of Australia to compete in the Olympic Games in basketball.
PHILANTHROPY: During December 2010, significant flooding and a damaging cyclone occurred in Queensland, Australia. To help with Australia’s flood relief, Patrick joined forces with WearsMyShirt to produce an “Assist Australia” T-shirt line with a goal of raising $50,000 (www.wearsmyshirt.com/pattymills). The tees come in three colors based on his National, College, and Pro Teams – with all proceeds going to the Queensland Flood Relief Fund. The limited edition T-shirts raised nearly $20,000 through the first two weeks of sales. To support this initiative, Patty has made several appearances throughout the state of Oregon, signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans.
PERSONAL: Patrick “Patty” Mills was born on August 11, 1988 in Canberra, Australia. He is an only child of parents Benny and Yvonne Mills. He served as ball boy for the Canberra Cannons of the NBL in 2000. Patrick played tennis and football in high school before choosing to concentrate on basketball and accepting a schlorship to the Australian Institute of Sport. He is one of the first Indigenous Australians to play basketball in the NBA. His uncle, Danny Morseay is an NBL Hall of Fame Member and played for the Australian National Team in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. Patty loves music from the 60’s & 70’s and plays the guitar. He calls his mother his hero.
