By Dimitris Minaretzis/ info@eurohoops.net
The arrival of Patty Mills in European basketball brings the tally of 2014 San Antonio Spurs champions currently playing in Europe to three. Remarkably, for two of these veterans, this season marks their first professional experience on the continent.
The trio consists of Cory Joseph, Nando de Colo, and now Mills, who recently signed with Tenerife to compete in the formidable Liga Endesa in Spain and the Basketball Champions League Season X, powered by Ameresco SUNEL. This move represents a career milestone for the experienced Australian combo guard, who, outside of his extensive NBA tenure, has previously only played in Australia and China.
In contrast, de Colo is a cornerstone of European basketball. Having spent years at the elite level, he is a two-time EuroLeague champion with CSKA under Dimitris Itoudis in 2016 and 2019, and is currently pursuing a third title with Fenerbahce Beko. Despite his long-standing European success, he remains a key part of that 2014 Spurs roster, celebrated for its style of selfless, automated team play.
Meanwhile, Cory Joseph has already begun showcasing his veteran poise at Olympiacos. He arrived in Greece boasting 953 career NBA appearances across the Regular Season and Playoffs, slightly less than Mills’ own 1,020 games.
That iconic Gregg Popovich squad was famously defined by its international core. Other members of the 2014 team maintain strong ties to the game: Tony Parker now serves as the president of LDLS ASVEL Villeurbanne, while, until recently, the list of active players included Marco Belinelli, who retired just months ago. Additionally, Tiago Splitter has transitioned to the sidelines, from leading Paris to a historic season last year to now serving as the interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.