Basketball star Patty Mills is set to return to the National Basketball League (NBL) next season, joining the Brisbane Bullets, as confirmed by Aussie legend Andrew Gaze. At 37, Mills has been playing for La Laguna Tenerife in Spain after going unsigned for the 2025-26 NBA season. His last appearance in the Australian league came during the 2011 NBA lockout when he played with the Melbourne Tigers, now known as Melbourne United.
Gaze shared insights on SEN, stating that he has received credible information about Mills’ anticipated homecoming. He noted that Mills has been in Spain due to not being picked up in the NBA, and his return to the NBL would be under the Brisbane Bullets banner, which would significantly invigorate the league. “I’m declaring it, from a reasonably reliable source,” Gaze added.
Mills, notable for being the first Australian to reach 1,000 games in the NBA, was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2009. After a notable 16-season career in the NBA with seven different teams, he is currently leading his Spanish club in scoring with an average of 17.3 points per game over four matches.
Before the Bullets announcement, there were discussions around the possibility of Mills joining an expansion team proposed in Canberra, his hometown, where he originally began as a ball boy for the Canberra Cannons. However, despite the Bullets’ attempts to attract significant talent in recent years, including efforts to sign notable players like Matthew Dellavedova and Will McDowell-White, they have struggled to secure marquee free agents.
Mills’ signing is expected to bolster the Bullets and contribute to the growth of the NBL, marking a significant moment for Australian basketball fans.