Patty Mills snubs NBL offers as Aussie icon joins new club
Updated . First published
Five-time Olympian and Boomers icon Patty Mills has ended speculation of an Aussie homecoming and announced a one-year deal with French club LDLC ASVEL for the 2026-27 season.
It’s a blow for the NBL, which hoped to bring the 38-year-old home to the Australian league with either the Perth Wildcats or the Brisbane Bullets.
Patty Mills will move to the Euroleague. Getty
But the chase was unsuccessful as Mills ultimately decided on a one-year deal with the French team to reunite him with Tony Parker, ASVEL’s president and head coach.
The two played together as teammates during Mills’ career in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs for nine seasons and won the 2014 championship together.
But Parker and Mills have never worked together as coach and player and this will mark Mills’ debut in the Euroleague in his 18th season as a professional.
“LDLC ASVEL is delighted to announce the signing of Australian point guard Patty Mills for the 2026-2027 season,” the club announced on social media.
“NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014 and an iconic figure for the Boomers, ‘FIBA Patty’ will bring to the Villeurbanne collective his talent, experience, and leadership honed over nearly two decades at the highest level.”
ASVEL finished fourth in the Betclic Élite regular season last year at 20-10 from 30 games.
Mills arrives in France off one season in Spain with La Laguna Tenerife after he went unsigned in the NBA.
The 38-year-old played 16 seasons in the NBA with Portland, San Antonio, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Miami, Utah and the LA Clippers.
Mills is currently training in Melbourne alongside fellow Aussie star Ben Simmons, as part of an Australian Boomers mini-camp in the lead up to the 2027 FIBA World Cup and 2028 LA Olympic Games.
The NBL season begins on September 19 with Melbourne United facing the Adelaide 36ers at John Cain Arena and the Perth Wildcats playing the South East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena.
It will be the first time basketball fans will see Melbourne United’s newest signings in NBA guard Cole Anthony and Australian star Joe Ingles who have both joined the NBL team.
