The first time Patty Mills truly felt a connection with another athlete was as a 12-year-old, jumping up and down in his family’s living room.
The 2000 Summer Olympics were taking place in Sydney. Mills was about 200 miles away in Canberra, watching Cathy Freeman run with the hopes of Australia behind her.
Freeman put the hood over her running suit, and Mills mimicked the same motion. He was like her, and she was like him, indigenous Australians proud of their culture and heritage. When Freeman crossed the finish line with a gold medal, Mills and his parents celebrated in the living room.