SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It has been more than 20 years since former Arizona State basketball star Curtis Millage was lighting up the scoreboard for the Sun Devils. These days you can find him leading a different basketball team in the valley: the Fighting Artichokes of Scottsdale Community College (SCC).
Millage is in his first full season as head coach at SCC, but this is his seventh year coaching in the Valley. He was an assistant coach at Chandler-Gilbert Community College for two years, then went off to Shadow Mountain High School for four years before joining the 'Chokes.
Millage’s new home gym is less than 10 miles away from ASU’s Desert Financial Arena in Tempe where he turned in a remarkable two-year career as a guard for the Sun Devils from 2001-03.
“Ever since I’ve been playing at ASU, I’ve always been like a coach out there, especially being a point guard and shooting guard. Then with the transition, going to Europe playing over there, I always felt like I had that in me… Studying the game and just wanting to help my players to go out there and get a victory as much as possible,” Millage said. “Just teaching these young men the game, just giving them an opportunity. That's what I'm about… Because I can relate to them. I played in JUCO in Los Angeles, California, and then went to ASU. So, I know what it takes and these guys believe in me. I'm happy for this opportunity.”
Millage said he emphasizes education with his team and is very disciplined when it comes to prioritizing the "student" element with his student-athletes. He also embraces the responsibility placed on him to prepare his team for life after basketball.
Millage captained his high school basketball and volleyball teams before playing JUCO ball at Los Angeles Southwest College, where he won a state basketball championship and was named Southern California Community College Player of the Year.
The former Sun Devil played professionally overseas for more than 19 clubs in various countries throughout a 15-year international career before making the transition into coaching in 2017.
“I’m trying to teach these young men to be men. It’s more than basketball… Because basketball is a split second, but as long as they get an education, and I can teach them to be men for the future, I did my job,” Millage said. “I always believe in opportunity creates discipline, which creates motivation. And I preach that to these guys.”
Some of the moments that stand out from Millage’s career at ASU include hitting a game-winning three-pointer against UCLA to snap a 15-game losing skid at Pauley Pavilion in 2002, beating Arizona in his first Territorial Cup game and recording a near triple-double in an NCAA Tournament win over a John Calipari-led Memphis team in 2003.
You can still find Millage at ASU home games supporting his Sun Devils and what head coach Bobby Hurley is doing with the program.
“I like what Hurley’s doing. He’s got the guys playing hard and he's been doing a good job. I think he's getting closer and closer to get over the hump to go further in the postseason,” Millage said. “I'll be there next week to watch them play against Stanford. I try to show my support and show my face around and let people know I'm still here.”
Millage’s Artichokes currently post a 9-7 overall record and they’re 5-6 in the Arizona Community College Atheltic Conference. The 'Chokes are looking to build on the success of last season where they finished as Region 1 Division II champions, earning an automatic bid to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
Millage was balling on the big stage before the players on his SCC roster were born, but now he’s sharing what he’s learned over a lifetime of basketball with them.
“They’ve been Googling me, so it's been pretty nice to see that. When they come in the office they see the ASU jerseys and everything so they’re very excited to see what I’ve done,” Millage says. “We're on the rise. We're coming. Curtis Millage is coming for everybody. We just want to have fun and go out there and compete and just want everybody to enjoy when they come out here.”
All of SCC’s regular season home games this season are free of charge, but donations will help the department navigate its current financial landscape, according to the Artichokes Athletics Department website.
They have six home games remaining this season against Eastern Arizona College (Jan. 27 at 4 p.m.), Glendale Community College (Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.), Mesa Community College (Feb. 10 at 4 p.m.), Chandler-Gilbert Community College (Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m.), South Mountain Community College (Feb. 24 at 4 p.m.) and Pima Community College (Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.).
Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on X/Twitter: @LWashingtonTV. If you have a sports story idea, email Lina at LWashington@12News.com.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. The Coyotes play at Mullett Arena on ASU's Tempe campus.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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