Andrew Gaze has lauded Patty Mills' World Cup efforts as "one of the remarkable Australian sports performances", worthy of conversation alongside Steve Smith's Ashes domination.
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The Boomers' shooting guard has put a case forward for tournament MVP honours while helping his side to a maiden Cup semi-final, against Spain on Friday in Beijing.
Mills is averaging 22 points and 4.5 assists a game, but arguably proved more influential than those statistics suggest by routinely delivering at the death in their historic 6-0 Cup run.
It has helped the Boomers within one win of a maiden international medal, with beaten heavyweights Serbia and the United States both out of the title hunt.
Gaze said Mills' impact in the last fortnight shouldn't be understated and, as a five-time Olympian, flag bearer and top scorer at the 1994 World Championships, is in a position to judge.
"It's hard to go back to a more significant Boomers contribution in the last 10-15 years," Gaze told AAP.
"He's stepped up and delivered and if you look at remarkable Australian sports performances ... Steve Smith's efforts lately come to mind.
"It's not appropriate to compare, but I don't think it'd be unreasonable to speak of him in that same company."
The English attack has had no answers to Smith, who has scored 671 runs at 134.2 to help Australia retain the Ashes and earn him comparisons to Don Bradman.
Like Smith, Mills is meticulous in his preparation and has looked unstoppable during the Boomers' run to the final four.
Gaze said that shouldn't be forgotten, despite how easy the San Antonio Spurs guard makes it look.
"He's been remarkably consistent and that type of thing doesn't happen by accident," Gaze said.
"There's a complete understanding of everyone's role to get him in these positions and it's not easy; it takes chemistry and great skill."
Gaze, who has been commentating in China, believes Australia are "equivalent" title hopes alongside Spain and fellow semi-finalists Argentina and France as teams prepare to fight for the podium in the Chinese capital.
"They're playing with great spirit and they have the variations to deal with anything that's thrown at them," he said.
Spain, who beat Australia by one point for bronze at Rio's Olympics, will test that theory as "the big dogs" of the final four according to another former Boomer Shane Heal.
"Spain have done it before and are a team expected to win medals ... (but Australia) have the camaraderie and most importantly the belief they can knock off a team like Spain," he said.
Australian Associated Press
