Patty Mills insists his best on the court is yet to come. Perhaps so too is his best off the court.
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The San Antonio Spur is again making waves away from basketball having launched a collaboration with coffee roaster Bluestone Lane's Keriba Ged program designed to give Indigenous Australians opportunities abroad.
"Keriba", meaning "Our" and "Ged" meaning "Home" or "Place", will see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people given the chance to develop business and hospitality skills at Bluestone Lane locations in the United States.
It is hoped the program will open up pathways to success for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to live and train abroad with it slated to launch in 2021 or 2022.
Officials involved hope it will enable participants to learn and develop valuable leadership, project management, networking, financial, communication and customer service skills.
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"What we do together will create a model that builds confidence and experience for a lifetime," Mills said.
"[The model is] equipping the successful applicants with valuable life and business skills, setting them up with the tools to flourish and succeed, which can then be replicated and applied across other global businesses worldwide and in their communities back home."
Mills is entering the final year of his deal with the Spurs as they set their sights on a short turnaround before launching the 2020-21 NBA season.
The regular season has been slashed to 72 games as officials look to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic which threatened to derail last season, which was ultimately won by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The season is tentatively scheduled to begin on December 22 with the playoffs planned to run under the standard 16-team format between May 22 and July 22.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
