Trail Blazers call up Mills
01/04/2010 08:54:14 PM
Australian point guard Patrick Mills looks set to make his NBA debut on Tuesday after the Portland Trail Blazers added him to their squad for the team's clash with the Clippers in Los Angeles.
Mills has fully recovered from a foot injury which kept him sidelined for the first two months of the season and made an immediate impact upon his return to competitive basketball in the Development League with the Blazers' affiliate team Idaho Stampede.
The 21-year-old scored 38 points and dished off 12 assists on New Year's Day (US time) against the Reno Bighorns, who are affiliated with the Sacramento Kings and the Orlando Magic.
Mills backed up that performance with 22 points - including the winning basket - in another victory over the Bighorns on Sunday.
If he gets court time, Mills will join star Milwaukee centre Andrew Bogut, Houston big man David Andersen and Minnesota forward Nathan Jawai as Australians who have played in the NBA this season.
Mills became the ninth Australian-born basketballer to be drafted into the NBA in June when he was taken by Portland at pick 55 in the 2009 draft.