San Antonio Spurs point guard Patty Mills was the target of a fan’s racially charged taunting during Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mills was at the free throw line late in the fourth quarter when a fan shouted out, “hey Jamaican dog they want their bobsledder back! Hey Mills, Jamaica just called, they want their bobsledder back!”
The video of that racial slur made its way onto Twitter. The person who posted it was clearly upset and tagged both LeBron James and Patty Mills. Mills saw the video and responded, calling the fan “confused” and “hateful.”
Thanks @thats_Z_Truth. I am a proud Islander. Like my Jamaican Brothers, me & my family in the islands of the Torres Strait have experienced racial slurs for decades. Hope your efforts will enlighten this confused, hateful fan. #BlackHistoryMonth https://t.co/yH3nKlGv4A
— Patrick Mills (@Patty_Mills) February 26, 2018
Mills has a unique heritage, being the son of an Aboriginal Australian (his mother) and Torres Strait Islander (his father). He was born and raised in Canberra, a Torres Straight Islander, and actually became just the third indigenous basketball player to compete for Australia in the Olympics.