Olympic Legends - Patty Mills

SYDNEY (Olympics) - When Patrick Mills was named in Australia's squad for the 2008 Olympics, he was just short of his 20th birthday.

The 1.83m guard was as quick as lightning, yet still a player in the American college ranks at St Mary's in Moraga, California.

Some wondered if his lack of experience would prove costly to the Boomers.

Mills had shown plenty of skill, poise and intensity in the 2007 FIBA Oceania Championship for Australia against New Zealand, but playing at the Olympics was a different proposition because in Beijing, he would go up against the greatest players in the world.

It didn't take long for Mills to prove he belonged on the Olympic stage.

In the Boomers' first game against Croatia, he had nine points and then against Argentina, he poured in 22.

The only trouble was, the Aussies lost both games.

Two defeats left them needing to go on a winning streak to reach the Quarter-Finals.

Sparked by Mills, Brian Goorjian's team did just that.

He caught fire from long range next against Iran, drilling four of six three-balls en route to 15 points, and also handed out five assists in a convincing win for the Boomers.

Next, against then European champions Russia, Mills played 28 minutes and helped the Boomers prevail, 95-80.

In their last and crucial Preliminary Round clash with Lithuania that followed, Mills had 13 points, three assists and a couple of steals in a 106-75 demolition that punched the Australians’ ticket to the Quarter-Finals.

Mills and Co rebounded from their poor start to advance, yet then had to face the heavily favored United States in the Quarter-Finals.

With an opportunity to make a statement against a group of Olympians that included LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd and Dwyane Wade, superstars he wanted to play against in the NBA, Mills rose to the occasion.

He scored 20 points and came up with a couple of steals but the Americans won the game to eliminate the Australians from medal contention.

Mills' play didn't go unnoticed by Team USA boss Mike Krzyzewski, who is also the long-time coach of college powerhouse Duke University.

"I'm glad my Duke team don't play St Mary's,” Krzyzewski said.

“He is a great guard and he will be an NBA guard."

Krzyzewski was right.

Mills, after another season at St Mary's, declared for the NBA Draft and spent his first two seasons with Portland.

The NBA Lockout led to Mills moving to China’s CBA at the start of the 2011-12 season.
In March 2012, he signed with the San Antonio Spurs.

Mills, who also played for the Aussies at the 2010 FIBA World Championship, will make his second appearance at the Olympics in London.

FIBA