Ever since he entered the NBA in 2009, Patty Mills has used the platform that professional basketball has afforded him to spread the culture and traditions of Indigenous Australians. From teammates, to members of the Spurs organization, to even the most casual of basketball fans, Mills is always more than happy to answer any question that people may have when it comes to Indigenous Australians.
This season, Mills -- an Under Armour endorsed athlete since 2014 -- has begun wearing a Player Exclusive makeup of the Under Armour Drive 4, which also features a particular tribute close to Mills' heart. On the shoe's midsole are the words 'Mabo Day' along with the date June 3 1992.
Mabo Day occurs annually on June 3, and recognizes Eddie Koiki Mabo -- Mills' great-uncle on his father's side -- who challenged the Australian legal system and fought for recognition of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners of their land, leading to the landmark High Court decision that acknowledged the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander connection to Australia.
Mills has been wearing the shoe during the current NBA season at both home and away games, and he explained to ESPN after San Antonio's win over New York at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night that it was Under Armour's idea to put the writing on the shoe.
"Obviously they know how passionate I am about my culture and they thought that, to be able to put that on a shoe, and kind of share the experience to everyone else that might notice it ... that's how I see myself as a representation of Indigenous Australia."
For Mills, the shoe is another way for him to educate people as well.
"Going up-and-down the court it's hard to tell that I am an Indigenous Australian, so to put something unique like that on a shoe is very special to me to let people that do notice to ask questions, and I'm more than happy to tell them," he told ESPN.
For the moment the shoe will remain a Player Exclusive, meaning you will see the sneaker only on Mills' feet when the Spurs play, but he's hoping it might get a retail lease in Australia in the not-too-distant future.
"We'll see what we can do down in Australia, but I think it will do well, so we'll see," he told ESPN.