NBA.com: Terry Mills Bio

A 6-10 center-forward with impressive offensive skills, Terry Mills bounced around the NBA for a couple of seasons before finding a home with the Detroit Pistons, where he was a productive scorer for five seasons and developed into an outstanding three-point shooter. He signed with Miami for the 1997-98 season and played in 50 games as a reserve in his first season with the Heat, then was limited to just one game because of knee problems in 1998-99. He was re-signed by the Pistons on Sept. 20, 1999 and played in all 82 games for Detroit in 1999-2000, starting 78 of them at center. A native of Romulus, Mich., Mills is the nephew of John Long, who played with Detroit, Indiana and Atlanta Hawks from 1978 to 1991. He is also the cousin of NBA forward Grant Long. In college at Michigan, Mills helped the Wolverines to the 1989 NCAA Championship as a junior, teaming with Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson, Sean Higgins and Loy Vaught. As a senior Mills averaged 18.1 points and 8.0 rebounds. The Milwaukee Bucks nabbed him in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft but then traded his rights to the Denver Nuggets for Danny Schayes. Mills split his rookie season between the Nuggets and the New Jersey Nets, averaging 5.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 55 games. After a solid second season, spent entirely with the Nets, Mills signed with the Detroit Pistons as a restricted free agent. The 1992-93 season marked Mills' emergence as a quality frontcourt player. In his first year with the Pistons, he averaged 14.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. One season later he upped his numbers significantly, leading the team in minutes and rebounding and finishing second in scoring to Joe Dumars. Mills continued to be a force on the inside for the Pistons in 1994-95 while also taking advantage of the closer three-point line to add the long-distance shot to his arsenal, hitting a career-high 109 three-pointers. Detroit's sixth man in 1995-96, Mills' scoring average dipped to 9.4 points per game but his .396 mark from three-point range was a career-high. He played the same role in 1996-97 and increased his scoring to 10.8 ppg and his three-point percentage to .422 on 175-for-415. All his three-point stats represented career highs. Prior to the 1997-98 season, Mills signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat, giving the Heat another inside presence to go alongside Alonzo Mourning, Isaac Austin and Duane Causwell. He played in 50 games, all of the bench, and averaged a career-low 4.2 ppg. Knee injures limited him to just one game the following season. He rejoined the Pistons and played in all 82 games in 1999-2000, all but four of them as a starter. He averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and was second on the team in three-pointers and third in three-point accuracy.

1999-2000 REGULAR SEASON
Scored 18 points (6-9 3-FG) in a 95-87 win over Miami on 2/21 Recorded 19 points (4-7 3 FG) and 7 rebounds in a 105-96 win over Cleveland on 2/4 Netted 24 points (4-7 3 FG) in a 113-110 loss to Sacramento on 2/2 Hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer in overtime to give Detroit a 106-105 win over Atlanta on 12/30 Totaled 14 points and 7 rebounds in a 107-99 victory in Indiana on 11/25 Tallied 17 points and 7 rebounds in a 121-111 loss in Milwaukee on 11/6

1998-1999 REGULAR SEASON
On the injured list from 3/31 to 5/5 due to a sore left knee On the injured list from 2/4 to 3/23 due to strength deficiency in his left leg and an inflamed plica, the lining surrounding the knee joint

1997-1998 REGULAR SEASON
On the injured list from 1/30 to 3/16 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to relieve left knee inflammation Posted 20 points, hitting 9-of-11 from the field, and 4 rebounds in a 114-106 win over the Washington Wizards on 11/8 Recorded 13 points (3-5 3FG) and 10 rebounds, in his Heat debut, in a 114-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on 10/31

1996-1997 REGULAR SEASON
Playing primarily as Detroit's sixth man, Mills emerged as one of the NBA's premier three-point threats, ranking eighth in the league with a .422 mark on 175-for-415, all career highs. Whereas the 6-10 Mills often played at center, of the seven players who ranked ahead of him in three-point percentage, six were guards and one, Glen Rice, a small forward. He was named the NBA's Player of the Week for the period ending Dec. 8 after tying an NBA record at New Jersey on Dec. 7 by making his 13th consecutive three-pointer before missing. He had at least four three-pointers in 18 games. Mills averaged 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game, making five starts in his 79 appearances. He ranked fifth on the team in scoring and third in rebounding. Mills scored a season-high 29 points, shooting 11-for-16 from the field and 5-for-9 on treys, in a 108-91 win over Chicago on April 13, his fifth and final start of the regular season. He scored 25 points in 25 minutes, including 7-for-8 from behind the arc, in a 100-90 win over Atlanta on Dec. 4. Mills participated in the AT&T Shootout during All-Star Weekend but did not get past the first round. Starting four of Detroit's five playoff games and coming off the bench in the other, Mills averaged 11.8 points and a team-high 7.0 rebounds in 39.2 minutes per game. Mills signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat on August 20, giving the club an additional inside presence to go alongside Alonzo Mourning, Isaac Austin and the newly-acquired Duane Causewell.

1995-1996 REGULAR SEASON
One of three Pistons to play in all 82 of the team's games, Mills took on the role of sixth man, playing off the bench in the last 77 games of the year. He averaged 9.4 points in 20.2 minutes per game, the first season in the last four that he had not averaged in double figures in scoring. Mills presented a strong three-point threat, shooting 82-for-207 for .396 from three-point range, the highest mark of his career. He also contributed 4.3 rebounds per game, third-highest on the team. He scored a season-high 24 points in 25 minutes at Dallas on Jan. 24, had four double-doubles and twice hit game-winning shots in the last second, beating Houston on Nov. 26 and San Antonio on Jan. 24. In the playoffs against Orlando, Mills came off the bench to average 5.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 16.0 minutes per game.

1994-1995 REGULAR SEASON
After having missed only 3 games in the previous three seasons, Mills sat out 10 games with a heel injury in 1994-95. When healthy, he continued the solid play that had made him a mainstay of the Pistons' frontline during the previous two campaigns. The team's leading rebounder at 7.8 boards per game, he racked up 18 double-doubles, led the Pistons in scoring in 15 games, and hit for 20 or more points 24 times. On November 30 he scored a season-high 37 points at Boston. Mills also added a new wrinkle to his game. Taking advantage of the closer three-point line, he cranked it up from long distance. After having sunk a total of 42 three-point shots in his first four seasons combined, he drained 109 three-pointers in 1994-95 and chalked up a respectable .382 three-point field-goal percentage. He was third on the club in attempts and second in makes from downtown. For the season, Mills averaged 15.5 points per game, third-best on the team. He also posted a career-best free-throw percentage of .799. The Pistons finished the year at 28-54, an eight-game improvement compared with the previous season.

1993-1994 REGULAR SEASON
Mills's stock rose even further in 1993-94 than it had the previous season. The gifted big man increased his scoring average for the fourth straight year while weathering a rebuilding season with the Pistons. Detroit suffered through its worst campaign in more than a decade, finishing at 20-62 and sending both Bill Laimbeer and Isiah Thomas into retirement. Mills was a bright spot, however. His 17.3 points per game established a new career high and ranked second on the team to that of Joe Dumars (20.4 ppg). He also led the Pistons in rebounding (8.4 rpg) and shot a career-best .511 from the floor. In addition, his 74 starts were a career high, and his 80 overall appearances placed him second on the team to rookie Lindsey Hunter.

1992-1993 REGULAR SEASON
Mills became a restricted free agent after the 1991-92 season and signed an offer sheet with the Detroit Pistons. Much to the chagrin of many Nets fans, New Jersey chose not to exercise its right of first refusal, letting the talented young forward move on to Detroit. Mills had an outstanding first season with the Pistons, missing the season opener with an eye injury and then playing in the remaining 81 games. He started 46 times, primarily at center, and averaged 14.8 points and 5.8 rebounds. He ranked third on the club in scoring behind Joe Dumars (23.5 ppg) and Isiah Thomas (17.6). Mills established single-game career highs in nearly every category when he exploded for 41 points against the Boston Celtics on March 1. The Pistons finished the season 40-42 and out of the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 1984.

1991-1992 REGULAR SEASON
Mills was an important component of the Nets in 1991-92, playing in all 82 games and averaging 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 20.9 minutes per game. He played a key role backing up Derrick Coleman, especially since Coleman missed 17 games with injuries. The Nets, building around a nucleus of Coleman, Kenny Anderson, and Drazen Petrovic, reached the playoffs for the first time since 1986. Mills contributed 6.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game during the postseason; however, New Jersey suffered a first-round series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

1990-1991 REGULAR SEASON
Terry Mills was a key contributor to the 1989 University of Michigan team that edged Seton Hall for the NCAA Championship. During that tournament he averaged 13.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists-numbers he hoped to duplicate with the Milwaukee Bucks, who drafted him 16th overall in the 1990 NBA Draft. Mills never saw a minute in Milwaukee, however, as the Bucks shipped him to the Denver Nuggets for Danny Schayes on August 1. And he played only 17 games in Denver-averaging 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds-before the Nuggets traded him to the New Jersey Nets in a three-team deal that ultimately landed both Mills and Drazen Petrovic in New Jersey. With the Nets, Mills found himself backing up Derrick Coleman, an old friend from Detroit whom the Nets had selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. Between the short stint in Denver and his 38 games in New Jersey, Mills's rookie averages were 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game.