It turns out Patty Mills donating his NBA salary to social justice causes was just the start of a bigger mission as the Canberra star launches his vision to give Indigenous basketballers a chance to "dream big".
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Mills announced the formation of Indigenous Basketball Australia on Friday less than 24 hours before restarting his San Antonio Spurs season in coronavirus lockdown at Disneyworld.
The NBA title winner has already committed $1.5 million of his salary to several organisations to fight race inequality, but his new organisation hopes to have a long-lasting and wide-ranging impact.
It comes as Basketball ACT attempts to eliminate racism at various levels in its competitions after players from the Winnunga Warriors were allegedly abused during a game last weekend.
Basketball ACT officials are still investigating the incident, but met with the Warriors on Friday to discuss a course of action.
Mills, whose parents ran the Shadows Basketball Club when he was a junior, is now giving back and hopes others get the opportunities to chase their dreams.
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"[Basketball] has allowed me to dream big and continually find ways to learn and grow. But my love of basketball has come from the fact that it has brought me happiness, joy, health, education and knowledge with greater appreciation and perspective on life," Mills said.
"At the end of the day, a platform was created for me to carry and be seen as my true identity as an Australian, an Indigenous man of the land.
"When I combine those experiences, I become aware of the positive influence I can have on my own people in Australia who are continuously oppressed. It makes me want to work harder at finding ways to provide better opportunities to make a real impact on the lives of my people."
Mills highlighted the incarceration rate of Indigenous youths as the need for "urgent and innovative" action. Indigenous youth are detained at a rate 23 times that of non-Indigenous young people.
"Disturbing stats and we should feel responsible to take urgent and innovative actions to address this gross negligence occurring in the lives of young Indigenous people.
"Basketball will be a vehicle and the IBA will drive this vehicle to one day see more Indigenous Australians [playing for] the Boomers or Opals.
"If IBA can create the positive environment that allows my people to enjoy a health and safe life, to be accepted and participate in a society free from discrimination, then that's the real win for my people in this life."
The program will launch next year and focus on culture, education, health, safety and wellbeing while providing a pathway in basketball. Mills also hopes it address the socioeconomic disadvantages faced by families.