When Patty Mills walks out as the flag-bearer for Australia at the Tokyo Olympics opening Ceremony, he will be the first Indigenous man to do so.
Key points:
- Patty Mills will become the first Indigenous Australian to carry the flag into an Olympic Games opening ceremony
- He grew up in Canberra, but his mother’s family is from the far west coast of South Australia
- Mills is heading to his fourth Olympics
The 32-year-old, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA, was last night announced as flag-bearer alongside swimmer Cate Campbell.
But apart from his success on the basketball court, what do you know about Mills?
A South Australian connection
The basketballer was born and raised in Canberra, and is of both Torres Strait and Aboriginal heritage.
His mother Yvonne Mills grew up in country South Australia.
Her mother’s family is from the Koonibba Mission, her mother’s father was Kokatha and her mother’s mother was Mirning.
On his father Benny’s side Patrick’s grandmother is from Mer and Dauar Islands, the home of Eddie Mabo, who in culture is Patrick’s grandfather.
Patrick’s grandfather is from Naghir Island.
Supplied: Yvonne Mills
)In 2014, just after Patty Mills had won the National Basketball Association Championships with the San Antonio Spurs, he made the effort to travel to his mother’s country to spend time working with young people at the Ceduna Youth Hub.
Hub coordinator Peter Jericho said it was pretty special to have him share his time with the community.
“He spent a lot of time going out to the Koonibba community, but approached us and said he wanted to come back to have a chat and spend time with a few young fellows who were struggling with school and trouble with police.
“So that was still a priority for him to share not just time with community, but time with these kids,” he said.
Mr Jericho said while Mills’ team of people were trying to hurry him out the door and on to the next appointment and town, the Australian basketballer didn’t want to rush off.
“To be on the stage that he was, with the success he’d achieved in the sporting world, it didn’t all come easy and he wanted to share some of that with some of those young people that needed inspiration,” he said.
Supplied: Peter Jericho
)His mother Yvonne Mills said her son had his own family mentors growing up, who were also achieving goals in the sporting world.
“I would take him along to see Port Adelaide Power games, because Shaun and Peter Burgoyne and Byron Pickett in that team we were related to, and in other teams the Davey brothers, so I would take him to those games so he could connect with those boys, so he had someone to look up to and follow.”
Patty the flag-bearer
The Australian men’s and women’s basketball teams are currently in Las Vegas preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, and stayed up until 2am for the flag-bearer announcement, delivered via a live virtual ceremony.
Because of the time difference, Yvonne Mills said she had only been able to exchange a few text messages with her son so far.
While Mills will carry the Australian flag for the opening ceremony, his mum said he was also proud to showcase the Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Islander flag.
“Patrick is of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and sees all the flags as important.”
She said her son always carried the flags with him wherever he travelled around the world.
Ceduna Youth Hub coordinator Peter Jericho said he was pleased to hear Mills had been chosen as one of the flag-bearers for Australia.
“You couldn’t get a more worthy and grounded individual and role model for young people,” he said.
“People up here on the west coast are buzzing about it already.
“You see his connection to culture, he’s real, he’s a genuine person and that’s why young people and the wider community think he’s an amazing person to represent Australia and we can’t wait to see him leading out front as always.”
