By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Fans have long known “FIBA Patty,” the version of Patty Mills who so often lights up international tournaments for Australia. Three games into his first EuroLeague season, “EuroLeague Patty” is starting to look familiar.
Mills scored 26 points in just 23 minutes and 35 seconds against Valencia, shooting 5-of-9 on two-pointers and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He added three assists without a turnover for a PIR of 25. ASVEL lost, but the veteran guard’s performance provided plenty of material for the highlight reel.
After scoring 15 points on his debut against Maccabi Tel Aviv and five against Panathinaikos, Mills is averaging 15.3 points in just over 20 minutes per game, shooting 46.7% from three.
His arrival also gave Tony Parker something to smile about after a difficult summer. ASVEL’s planned €59 million budget fell to around €24 million, forcing several high-profile recruits to leave. Mills stuck with the project and his former San Antonio Spurs teammate, with whom he won the 2014 NBA championship.
Parker once shared the backcourt with him. Now, from the sidelines, he gets to enjoy a familiar sight: Patty Mills catching fire.
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