San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills is set to host the first-ever “Indigenous Night” inside the AT&T Center, according to a report from ESPN's Marc J. Spears.
The event, which will be held on January 19 for the Spurs' game against the Miami Heat, will feature a performance from the Tāp Pīlam Coahuiltecan Nation. Mills, an advocate for Indigenous people around the globe, will also debut his line of apparel with the tribe. The limited line of streetwear features the Spurs logo alongside American Indian-inspired imagery that portrays the creation story of the city, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
According to Spears' report, fans are encouraged to arrive at the arena early to hear an elder from the tribe speaking about San Antonio's native history:
Spurs guard @Patty_Mills to host first-ever Indigenous night on Jan. 19. pic.twitter.com/0Nyy5N4bin
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) January 14, 2020
Mills has established a close bond with the Tāp Pīlam Coahuiltecan Nation over the course of his stint with the Spurs — a fact that the nation's executive officer touched on in a news release:
“Patty was so sincere to establish a relationship with us because he related with our stories and our ceremonies and our conversation with his family back home,” Tāp Pīlam Coahuiltecan Nation's Executive Officer Ramon Vasquez said, via the San Antonio Express-News. “When we see people walking around with imagery like this, what we are hoping for is education – that more and more people would be educated on the contributions that American Indians have made to San Antonio and the state of Texas, both historically and contemporarily.”
Mills, a Torres Strait Islander, has become an important piece for the Spurs, who are currently holding a 17-21 overall record. The Canberra, Australia native has played in 38 games this season (one start), racking up averages of 11.4 points on 43.7 percent shooting from the field (40.7 percent from beyond the arc), 2.1 assists, 1.6 rebounds and just under one steal (0.8) in 23.2 minutes per outing.
The Spurs have won three of their last four games. They'll look to keep that momentum rolling on Wednesday night, when they'll face off against the Heat in Miami. Tip-off inside AmericanAirlines Arena is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
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