- Five-time Olympian is currently playing in Spain
Australian basketball great Patty Mills is poised for a stunning homecoming, with the veteran guard tipped to return to the NBL and join the struggling Brisbane Bullets.
The 37-year-old, a five-time Olympian and the first Australian to reach 1000 NBA games, is currently playing in Spain after going unsigned for the 2025–26 NBA season.
But according to basketball legend Andrew Gaze, Mills could be set to answer the call from one of the league’s most desperate clubs.
‘A little birdy has given me some information,’ Gaze revealed on SEN.
‘It’s that Patty Mills, who’s currently playing in Spain because he never got picked up in the NBA, next year he will be returning to the NBL.
‘That birdy, who is a reliable source, said that he’ll be playing for the Brisbane Bullets.’
Australian Boomers star and NBA champion Patty Mills is reportedly heading home to Australia
Mills, who won an NBA championship with San Antonio, has been linked to the Brisbane Bullets
The Bullets recently endured a horror season with 11-straight losses to finish the campaign
The move would represent a dramatic shift for both Mills and the Bullets, who are coming off a disastrous campaign widely regarded as one of the worst in franchise history.
Brisbane finished bottom of the ladder with a 6-27 record, enduring an 11-game losing streak in a season marred by instability, injuries and roster upheaval.
The club’s year spiralled early when coach Stu Lash resigned in December, with Darryl McDonald stepping in as interim coach as the losses mounted.
Injuries decimated the roster, with more than 270 games missed across the season, forcing the Bullets to use 19 different players and rely heavily on inexperienced talent.
Their import strategy also collapsed, with Jaylen Adams departing mid-season and Casey Prather ruled out with a season-ending knee injury, leaving the team without key contributors.
The result was a string of heavy defeats, including 15 losses by margins of 20 points or more, as the Bullets struggled to remain competitive.
Despite the bleak outlook, there were minor positives, with young players gaining valuable exposure and centre Tyrell Harrison emerging as a standout performer, earning team MVP honours.
The club has since undergone a sweeping review, appointing a new High-Performance Director and committing to a long-term rebuild focused on stability and development.
Mills would be an immediate circuit breaker for the battling Bullets franchise if he signs
The five-time Olympian is currently in Spain and understood to be open to a move to Australia’s NBL
Mills’ potential arrival would instantly transform the narrative.
Best known for his championship-winning stint with the San Antonio Spurs alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, Mills brings elite leadership, experience and scoring ability.
He last featured in the NBL during the 2011 NBA lockout, when he played for the Melbourne Tigers, and has long been viewed as a marquee name capable of boosting the league’s profile.
There have been conflicting reports about whether a deal between Mills and the Bullets had previously fallen through, but Gaze remains confident the move is back on track.
If confirmed, the signing would mark one of the most significant player returns in NBL history, with Mills potentially tasked with leading one of the competition’s most underperforming teams out of its lowest ebb.
