The Australian National Basketball League has lost its most marketable and dynamic player, with NBA star Patty Mills leaving the Melbourne Tigers to take up a contract with a Chinese club.
Since linking with the Tigers during the NBA lockout, Mills has sparked an unprecedented interest in the competition while being the catalyst for Melbourne's 6-3 start.
His departure is a massive blow to both the Tigers' championship ambitions and marketing for basketball in Australia, especially after insurance issues robbed the Sydney Kings of a chance to land fellow Boomer Andrew Bogut.
Mills could earn as much as $1.5 million with the move to the Xinjiang Flying Tigers.
