Patrick Mills of Canberra and Joe Ingles of HappyValley are among four Australian players that hope to be selected in this year’s NBA draft (discuss).

Mills and Ingles are the top two prospects coming out from down under.  With Luke Nevill and Aron Baynes likely fighting to be a second round pick or securing a spot during free-agent camps.

After playing well in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and two successful years at St. Mary’s (USA), the 20-year old Mills (discuss) is expected to follow in his cousin Nathan Jawai‘s footsteps to become the second indigenous Australian to play in the NBA.

The 6-0, 175lb point guard, who averaged 18.4 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.2 steals last season, is likely to be a late first round pick.

Joe Ingles (discuss) has been on the Aussie radar for sometime now.  Ingles is a 6-8, 200lb SG/SF and has been in Chicago for the last couple months working out with several NBA and European teams.

The left-handed Ingles helped the South Dragons win last seaon’s NBL championship-winning and also played well, in limited time, during the 2008 Olympics.

He was the NBL’s rookie of the year in 2007, and holds the record for most points scored by an Aussie in an NBL debut – 29 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the field.

Check out this YouTube clip of Ingles.

7-1 giant Luke Nevill of West Australia is hoping that his size and experience after four years playing for the University of Utah will garner interest.  The 250lb 23-year old put up 16.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and blocked 2.7 shots in the MWC conference.

Aron Baynes of Queensland rounds out the Australians in contention.  The 6-10, 270lb center spent four years at Washington State.  Baynes averaged 17.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in his senior season in the Pacific Northwest.

The 22-year-old Baynes most likely head to the Euroleague if he’s not picked up in the draft, having already signed a two-year deal with Lithuanian club Lietuvos Rytas.

The 2009 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 25th, 2009.

Links and Resources: Patty Mills in, Greivis Vasquez out of NBA Draft (Interbasket),  Patrick Mills Olympic Profile (Interbasket), Video: Joe Ingles, A Basketball Prodigy (YouTube), Australia Basketball Forum (Interbasket), Joe Ingles, Aussie Prodigy (Interbasket)

* adidas NBA Australia Green/Yellow Boomers Cap from NBA.com