Mills a Trailblazer
Australian Boomers point guard Patty Mills has been selected by the Portland Trailblazers with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA draft at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Three other Australian prospects - Beijing Olympian Joe Ingles, Queensland’s Aron Baynes and WA’s Luke Nevill - were not selected.
After two outstanding years at St. Mary’s College in California, Mills is now set to join fellow Boomers Andrew Bogut and Nathan Jawai in the world's premier basketball league.
But as a second round pick Mills’ is not guaranteed a playing contract and he will have to earn his spot on the playing roster.
20-year-old Mills is the second indigenous Australian to be drafted to the NBA, after Jawai was a second round selection by Indiana last year before being traded to Toronto.
Mills’ selection continues an Australian connection with the Trailblazers, who drafted two-time NBL Most Valuable Player and two-time Olympian Chris Anstey in 1997 with the eighteenth pick before trading his rights to Dallas.
Mills’ Beijing team mate CJ Bruton signed a rookie minimum contract with Portland in 2000 after being drafted by the now-defunct Vancouver Grizzlies in 1997, while Adelaide 36ers centre Luke Schenscher played for the Portland Trailblazers in 2007.
Basketball Australia is attempting to secure Patty for a teleconference with Australian media this afternoon. If successful, a media alert will be sent out with more detail.
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