Patty Mills has unveiled a new Indigenous-inspired sneaker, as he and the Boomers pursue their first-ever medal at a FIBA Basketball World Cup.
A personal edition of the Under Armour Flow FUTR X 3, Mills' shoe is decked out in a design inspired by his family's indigenous heritage, and his totem of the green turtle.
Mills said that the shoes represent the importance of his background and culture on his journey in basketball, one which the 35-year-old has looked to champion throughout his time in the NBA and with the national team.
"My totem has become a symbol of protection and strength to help me navigate through my basketball journey," Mills said via Under Armour Australia.
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The Australian captain debuted his new shoes in the Boomers' first game of the World Cup - a 98-72 win over Finland that saw him contribute 25 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, and claim player of the game honours.
Talk about making an impact: 25 PTS I 8 REB 📊
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 25, 2023
🦘 Patty Mills claims the TCL Player of the Game crown in his first #FIBAWC game in Okinawa! #WinForAustralia 🇦🇺 #InspireGreatness pic.twitter.com/JfW7LzEvDL
While no release date has been announced yet, expect Mills' version of the Flow FUTR X 3 to drop sometime soon.
Patty Mills' FIBA sneaker highlights
2007 Senior Boomers debut - Air Jordan 9.5 Team
Since his Boomers debut in 2007, the legend of FIBA Patty Mills has steadily grown, gaining a reputation as a player who would level up whenever he pulled on his national team jersey.
In his first time out for Australia, Mills made sure his shoes were as impressive as his play would be, rocking a pair of Air Jordan 9.5 Teams, a mash-up of the Jordan 9 and Jordan 10.
2008 Beijing Olympics - Nike Hyper Dunk Supreme ‘Australia’
Mills wore a few different shoes during his first Olympic campaign, but easily the most impressive were the Nike Hyper Dunk Supreme, in a special Australia-specific edition.
The kicks featured the green-and-gold colourway of the team's jerseys, the tongue adorned with an Australian flag, and Mills rode their energy through the first round and into the quarter-finals, where they ran into the American 'Redeem Team'.
2012 London Olympics - Nike Lunar Hyper Dunk Patty Mills PE
Patty Mills would rock an impressive assortment of Nike's over his next years in the Boomers jersey, but his most impressive would no doubt be his PEs of the Nike Lunar Hyper Dunk, which he wore during Australia's 2012 Olympic run.
Bright yellow, the shoes were impossible to miss, and the Australian guard would wear them throughout an impressive tournament which would see him lead all players at the Olympics in points average, posting an average of 21.2 per game for the Boomers.
2020 Tokyo Olympics - Under Armour Flow FUTR X Patty Mills PE
After signing with Under Armour in 2013, Mills would don the brand over the following international tournaments, sporting a number of different models.
Patty Mills drops 42 points to lead Australia to a Bronze Medal.@Patty_Mills has been wearing two green & yellow versions of the @UAbasketball Flow FUTR X throughout the Olympics, featuring artwork celebrating his indigenous heritage. pic.twitter.com/v8NSFtjqgM
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) August 7, 2021
But easily the most iconic of these were his PEs of the Flow FUTR X, which he wore during parts of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, including Australia's historic bronze medal game.
Rocking the green-and-gold shoes featuring indigenous artwork, Mills dropped a staggering 42 points on Slovenia - the tenth most in Olympic history - to secure the Boomers their first-ever medal at a major tournament.
