After just over three months wearing the colors of La Laguna Tenerife, player Patty Mills has posted a farewell message on his Instagram account. The Australian guard shared an expression in the Amazigh language, "Ar emir iyen" (see you soon), demonstrating his interest in the ancestral culture of the Canary Islands.
Mills stated that his arrival in Tenerife was "accidental," but he ultimately described the year as "the best of his career." "Little by little, the island felt less like a destination and more like a place to belong," the athlete commented.
Despite the geographical distance between Tenerife and his hometown, the Australian Aboriginal community of Kokatha, Mills felt that "roots find each other across the ocean and time." The player thanked the people of Tenerife for their warm welcome and for sharing "history and culture" with him and his family.
The Australian point guard concludes his tenure with the team after playing 17 games in the Liga Endesa, averaging 18.1 points and 14.9 in valuation. In the Basketball Champions League, his averages were 13 points and 9 in valuation over six games. Mills has a career spanning 16 seasons in the NBA, having won a championship in the 13/14 season with the San Antonio Spurs.
