Yes

There is a strong argument to be made

At very worst he is =

I think I ight be on board though
Boomers Patty is really something else

Gaze walked so Patty could run. They're both guys as Australian basketball fans you can be proud of.

But as a prisoner of the moment... PATTY!

Both great - share the GOAT medal

42pts and 9 assists in a bronze winning performance certainly swings the balance in Mills favour but Gaze is still up there.
Now if Mills can back it up in Paris well the answer is clearer.

As an Olympian
Mills > Gaze

As Overall Goat Australian Basketball
Gaze > Mills

I dont have any want to take anything away from Gaze who lives, breathes and bleeds for the Boomers. But Patty Mills has taken that extra step.

Not the time for it. Both legends.

Draw.

Appreciate greatness!

Drewy the Godfather and ultimately statesmen of Australian basketball.

Patty the ultimate new hero who is reaching higher into the stratosphere with every passing moment.

We shall not compare.

Ultimate* Statesmen

They are both great and both are better than Bradman!

You gotta choose Party over Gaze atm

Hopefully Giddey or Green or Thybulle surpasses them both.
Would've been great to have Giddey in the 12 at Tokyo. Understandable he had a draft ahead of him.

Patty *

One thing we know for sure is Patty is miles in front of Goodes,on and off the playing field.

Couldn't disagree more, Andre. They are both exceptionally positive forces for good in this country. They share the same values.

I guarantee that if Goodes had the ability to represent Australia in his sporting field he would be far more admired. Instead he only was able to occupy the parochial, bitter arena of club competition.

Patty Mills would tell you exactly same thing, believe that.

Direct from the horses mouth.

https://amp.nine.com.au/article/d19c5dea-1786-4bbd-963f-daa4b3f1accd

Speaking from the Orlando bubble where his San Antonio Spurs are set to resume their season at the end of the month, Mills touched on the sad situation black athletes in the AFL face.

"In this case today, and for those athletes, you actually have black athletes who are terrified to speak up and fight for themselves because their career would be in jeopardy if they do, just like Adam Goodes, he told ESPN.

"Just being able to support and help educate is key here.

"Adam Goodes, he was LeBron James of the AFL and he had to step away from the game mid-season because the sporting environment he loved so much was not safe for him because of racism, and he ended up having to retire early because of it."

Mills explained that he had been forced to develop a "shield" in order to deal with racial vilification he had experienced throughout his life.

"It impacted me tremendously," he said of experiencing racism growing up.

Patty by far but we do understand certain Aussies reasons for trying to keep Gaze in such a position.

They're from different eras. While Longley was in the NBA, international players just weren’t given the opportunities they are today. There’s a strong case that Gaze and others paved the way for the future generations. Both are to be celebrated.

Agreed^^^

Both legends and great ambassadors in their own right its too difficult to separate them.

We'll see what happens in future for Patty at the next Olympics..

Not comparable.That's not a slight on Mills at all.

If Mills had been in Gaze's era he likely would have played the majority of his career in the NBL.

People forget that America really didnt respect non-american basketball players during the 80's and early 90s. Some great European players never got a real chance in the NBA during that era.

I'm still bitter Bradtke never got a real shot at the NBA.

People also forget that Gaze was the first high profile player to have a proper European basketball contract (with Udine). Pre-Gaze (then Heal) no Australian played in the European big leagues.

But Gaze wouldnt have been Gaze without Eddie Palubinskas.

Gaze had the Seton Hall moment, but Longley's career at New Mexico and subsequently drafting was huge (noting Vlahov had a decorated career at Stanford)

And Mill's excellent career and off court work will inspire some young Australians to become the new generation.

Its all a beautiful evolution, standing on the backs of giants.

Mills with the highest score by any player in Olympics history in a medal deciding game.

As much as NBA back then wasn't as international-
We are talking Mills v Gaze and not Mills v Bogut because we do respect that fact.

With that said - what Mills has achieved 1) as an NBA player; 2) as a Boomer in developing the culture and galvanising the talent and 3) one of the best Fiba international bball players ever; I’d say from an Australian perspective Mills is the GOAT with Gaze closely behind. Don’t forget LJ in there too.

That’s not even a disrespect to Gaze - both and LJ have been flag bearers for Australia which says a lot.

The respect between the two is enormous. Different men for different times, but both monumental. Without Gaze and the Gaze before him you probably don't have a bronzed Patty. And a bronzed Patty pays tribute to those that came before him, and makes it all worthwhile. Onwards and upwards.

Very difficult to compare the two, as they played in completely different eras. Mills is a better player, but then most players today are "better" than their counterparts 25 years ago.

Some dude
If Mills played in Gazes era he'd be a damn star in the NBA.

Your overestimating the talent of the players in the NBL.

Plenty of players got a shot in the NBA. Longley & Europeans made it.

Gaze will always have the most appearances. Because the best players today are in the NBA & predominantly won't turn up for qualifiers.

But for the big events Mills has been turning up better than any Boomer before.