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Ex-Spur Patty Mills ready to be the 'culture guy' for Brooklyn thanks to lessons from Popovich

Mills is bringing that Spurs culture to the Big Apple.

SAN ANTONIO — For 10 seasons, Patty Mills wore the Spurs silver and black jersey but now he will be wearing the white and black for the Nets.

After signing as a free agent with Brooklyn over the offseason, Mills is set to join a powerhouse team boasting a roster with Kevin Durant, James Harden, former Spurs teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, and Kyrie Irving.

He'll bring in his energy, sharpshooting, and also help establish a culture in Brooklyn thanks to lessons learned from his former head coach Gregg Popovich.

Speaking with the YES Network during Nets Media Day, Mills was asked about what Popovich taught him throughout his time with the Spurs.

Immediately, Mills recalled learning there is a bigger world outside of basketball.  

That there's a life out there that's much bigger than basketball. 

There wasn't one day that went by that that we didn't learn one fact about the world and what was going on in the world.

RELATED: 'The one person I was able to talk to was Pop' | Patty Mills on speaking with Popovich about leaving San Antonio for Brooklyn

Former Spur and current Nets General Manager says one of the reasons the team inked Mills was because he can become a "culture guy."

Mills told the YES Network he already is exploring the borough of Brooklyn and getting familiar with the community. 

Much like he did in San Antonio by relishing in the city's culture, bringing the NBA's first Indigenous night to the AT&T Center, and mingling with the residents.

However, when it comes to lessons on the court, Mills notes Popovich taught him how to approach being a professional.

Something the Nets will definitely appreciate once training camp and the regular season begins.

When you come to work and you roll the ball out, that's its very competitive and there's a lot of things that you have to learn from and you want to get better and all of that. 

You can expect a packed arena and a thunderous round of applause when Mills and the Nets make their lone appearance in San Antonio on Jan. 21, 2022.

Stay here at KENS 5 for complete Spurs coverage.

Twitter: @JeffGSpursKENS5 

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