Hotshot Patty Mills nets Australian of the Year nomination

Indigenous basketball star Patty Mills – who is in stunning form in the NBA – has been nominated for The Australian’s Australian of the Year.

Patty Mills celebrates winning the bronze medal playoff Basketball game against Slovenia during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

Indigenous basketball player Patty Mills had his greatest year yet after leading the Australian Boomers to their first ever medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 33-year-old broke record after record as a key playmaker for the Brooklyn Nets last year, earning praise from international media, fans and fellow players for his leadership and matchwinning abilities.

Mills’ biggest honour was becoming the first Indigenous Australian to carry the national flag at an Olympics opening ceremony last year. He became a national symbol for unity – with #PattyForPM trending on Twitter – showing just how popular he is.

And now the basketball star is nominated to be The Australian’s Australian of the Year.

The Canberra-born athlete says his family and culture is what keeps him grounded.

“There’s a lot of values that I grew up (with), you know, within my family and because of my parents, and because of my culture and my heritage,” he told ABC’s 7.30 program following his historic Olympics victory.

“And I think that has really kept the steady ship for me; no matter what adversity or hurdles that may come my way, that there’s always a way around them. It’s just learning from those experiences as you go on, and (you) can keep on finding ways to get better and keep on improving.”

Patty Mills in action during the Olympic bronze medal playoff game against Slovenia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

Mills also said his Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture influenced him to give back to the community.

“I’m in a position to be able to make an impact and give back,” he said. “The best part of the whole thing for me is that it inspires me and gives me the strength and energy to go back to the other side of the world, and go back to work and work hard.”

Fellow Nets teammate Kevin Durant said Mills had been “critical”, after he stepped up following Kyre Irving’s absence, with his responsibilities growing again after Joe Harris was injured.

“He’s just being aggressive and knocking down shots and providing pace for us,” Durant said.

“Patty has been great, and we’re asking for a lot from him now with guys being injured. But he’s taken on that challenge, and we’re going to need a lot more from him going forward.”

ESPN commentator Mark Jackson spoke of Mills’ impact on international basketball.

“Patty Mills has been very good everywhere he’s gone, also including how special he is in international basketball,” he said.

We encourage our readers to put in a nomination for The Australian’s Australian of the Year, which was first won in 1971 by economist HC “Nugget” Coombs. Prominent Australians can be nominated by filling out the form above, or sending an email to [e-mail]. Nominations close on Friday, January 21.