But as he prepares for ''AFL and NRL grand final week on steroids'', it's the strawberry milk he orders on the San Antonio Spurs' luxury jet which reminds Mills he's still a Canberra kid at heart.

Mills and Australian Boomers teammate Aron Baynes are on the cusp of achieving the most sought-after prize in world basketball - an NBA championship - when the Spurs begin their campaign for another title this week. The former AIS teammates are trying to join Luc Longley and new FIBA Hall of Fame inductee Andrew Gaze as the only Australians to win championship rings.

And for Mills, it's reward for a rollercoaster entry into the brutal NBA world and the moment he's been dreaming about since shooting hoops as a two-year-old at his grandfather Sammy's homemade ring on Thursday Island. Fast-forward 22 years and Mills has a cult following with his towel-waving antics, rubbed shoulders with Beatles legend Paul McCartney at the team hotel in Memphis last week and will stand next to true superstars as the Spurs step into the spotlight.

''I've never been in a situation like this, it's on a whole new category with the excitement and thrills,'' Mills told Fairfax Media. ''Whatever has happened in the past is in the past, you just live in the moment and just realise what it actually means to make it this far and I'm sure it will sink in more over the next couple weeks. It's going to be crazy, we got back to the airport at 2.30am and they had to block the street because there were more than 1000 people there. I can't wait to see what's next.''

Mills wants his basketball journey to inspire young Australians to take up the sport in a bid to unearth a new generation of stars. The Spurs were crowned Western Conference champions when they trounced Memphis last week. They're the first team to qualify for the championship best-of-seven-game series and will take on either the LeBron James-led Miami Heat or the Indiana Pacers this week.

But here's the catch - in a Spurs team featuring three future NBA Hall of Famers, Mills and Baynes know their influence on the court will be minimal. In fact, they know it's possible they might not get on the court at all. Hard to believe given Mills was the highest scorer of any team at the Olympic Games in London last year after some scintillating performances for the Boomers. He scored 127 points in six matches. For most it would be almost impossible to swallow going from international star to NBA bench player. Mills has played 58 games this season, averaging 11.3 minutes. In the play-offs he's been on the court just seven times, averaging just 2.4 minutes. But instead of ''sulking'', Mills channels his energy into being the team's spark plug. His towel-waving exploits have become a tradition at the Spurs' home court.

There's ''the ninja'', ''the chopper'' or ''the propeller'' - all moves that he's detailed with videos on the internet and the Spurs have begun to market a ''rally towel'' sold at games.

Despite not being on the court, he earned the praise of former NBA coach and ESPN expert Jeff Van Gundy, who declared Mills was a player he'd ''love to coach because of his enthusiasm and team mentality''.

At most franchises, the 24-year-old point guard with lightning speed would be in the regular rotation. His goal is to be a starting or back-up point guard in the world's best competition. But for now he's happy to bide his time behind Tony Parker and develop his game.

''I guess the towel waving is an inside glimpse of who I really am, it's just something I do because I cheer my teammates to bring something to the team,'' Mills said. ''I just find other ways to contribute to the team and the best way I know how to do that is to be that high-energy guy on the bench supporting the guys. It's not in my nature at all to sit back and sulk. I've seen guys do that and then all of a sudden they're not in the NBA any more. There's no doubt in my mind this is where I should be, but it's about earning it. I've just got to be prepared if my number's called.''

Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have been major factors in the Spurs' golden era. Duncan's involvement stretches back to their 1999 title-winning team with Parker and Ginobili joining him for the 2003, 2005 and 2007 successes.

As well as Mills and Baynes, the Spurs boast plenty of international talent - Parker, Nando de Colo and Boris Diaw are from France, Ginobili is from Argentina and Tiago Splitter from Brazil. The Australian connection extends to the coaching staff with former Boomers head coach Brett Brown an assistant.

Five-time Olympian Gaze - who will be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame this month - won his NBA championship as a bench warmer for the Spurs in 1999. ''Patty is entrenched in the Spurs culture and the community and Aron is developing,'' Gaze said. ''Our boys have been blessed with going into one of the best sporting organisations in the world … coach Gregg Popovich loves what Australians bring and how they buy into the system. It's part of the DNA. My role was almost insignificant. I didn't play in the play-offs. But that experience stays with you for life. It's hard not to get caught up in the excitement.''

It's easy to get caught up in a world of millionaires in the NBA. Some of the lowest salaries in the league are higher than some of the top earners in the AFL and NRL. But Mills' journey to the top has taught him to take nothing for granted. There have been injuries, contract problems and a constant fight to keep his place in the regular rotation.

Mills, who was drafted by Portland in 2009 and has since played for Melbourne and in China, says he feels at home in San Antonio. ''When you're around such great people, you forget about the basketball players. There are no superstars of the NBA, it's just guys hanging out,'' Mills said. ''There are teams and players in the league that are all about the NBA life. But I'm still me. I still get my strawberry milk.''

But if he gets a chance to hoist the championship trophy in the air, Mills will be forgiven for enjoying a drink more accustomed to the NBA lifestyle - champagne.

Twitter -@BlockaDutton