Lacrosse Legend to NBA Standout: How Pat Spencer Became a Household Name
- karinnaleonard
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
On a day that looked destined for defeat, Pat Spencer showed Warriors fans exactly why he belongs in the Bay. Making his first career NBA start, the 29-year-old guard delivered a career-high 19 points and seven assists to carry a severely depleted Golden State squad to a 99-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Currently signed to a two-way contract, Spencer has fought through the ranks to make his name known. Though he went undrafted in the NBA, he was once a first overall pick ... for the Premiere Lacrosse League. After spending four years at Loyola University Maryland on a lacrosse scholarship, Spencer decided to put his professional dreams on pause and return to his childhood love: basketball. Using his final year of eligibility, he enrolled at Northwestern University to play one season of basketball. Spencer played in 31 games for the Wildcats, starting 29 while averaging 29.4 minutes per contest. In that time, he averaged 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists—no small feat in the Big Ten.
After going undrafted, Spencer got his first professional basketball opportunity playing abroad with the Hamburg Towers. Playing just 5 games in Germany, he drew the attention of the NBA G League and was offered a contract by the Capital City Go-Go. In 25 games with them, he averaged 5.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. In July of 2022, his rights were traded to the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's G League affiliate. Santa Cruz signed him to an Exhibit 10 contract, which is essentially a one-year training camp deal. Spencer made the most of the opportunity, but nine games in, adversity struck when he fractured his wrist, requiring surgery. While he was recovering, he also underwent hip surgery. The setbacks would have ended many careers, but Spencer refused to give up. He rejoined the team in November 2023 and averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds while shooting an impressive 37.7% from behind the arc. That leap elevated him to Golden State's radar, and on February 22, 2024, he signed a two-way contract with the Warriors. Just three days later, he made his long-awaited NBA debut.
Those injuries were just the latest chapter in a story of adversity. Spencer is no stranger to overcoming obstacles. Despite his illustrious lacrosse career, he was actually cut from his high school's varsity team as a sophomore. He didn't let this setback define him and instead went on to become a four-year starter at Loyola University Maryland, where he set the NCAA Division 1 record for most career assists (231). Spencer earned All-American honors all four years, and in his senior season, he won the prestigious Tewaaraton Award—the college lacrosse equivalent of the Heisman Trophy—awarded annually to the nation's best player.
Although he had a professional lacrosse career waiting for him, Spencer continued to bet on himself and his ability to succeed. This time, his focus was on basketball, a sport he hadn't played since high school. Despite the years away, his love and passion for the game never faded. In 2015, he led his high school team to its first state title in 25 years, early proof of the endless drive and competitiveness that still fuels him today. When asked about his decision to step away from lacrosse to pursue basketball, Spencer said, "I’m a firm believer that if you have a passion or a dream, you have to chase it."
Due to an array of injuries across the roster, Spencer finally got his big break this season. On December 6th, he earned his first career start. He has become a vital part of the Warriors' rotation, contributing wherever he's needed. Through the team's first 25 games, he has appeared in 17, averaging 7.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. What stands out most, though, is his energy and the way he drags his team into the fight every night. That trait is essential in a league where frequent maintenance days are common for star players. No matter who is available, Pat Spencer gives the Warriors a chance to compete in every game.
There's just one complication. Under the two-way contract he signed with Golden State, Spencer is limited to 50 appearances on the team's active roster. Just 27 games into the Warriors' season, he is already over halfway to that limit. The hope around the organization is that the team will eventually find room to convert him to a standard NBA deal. Steve Kerr has been vocal about his desire to keep Spencer around: "He’s got to be out there. And it’d be great to find a way to get him on the roster, because he’s kind of the perfect guy to have as a backup." That sentiment has been echoed by all of those around him, and it's impossible not to agree with Kerr's assessment: "It's fun to watch a guy who has had to fight for everything finally get his moment and not only seize it but grab it by the neck."
Pat Spencer's path to the NBA has been anything but conventional, and that's exactly what makes his story so compelling. He's fought for every minute and every contract—and now, in a season full of adversity, he's stepping up when the Warriors need him most. Spencer is no longer just a lacrosse star trying to relive his basketball days. He has arrived. And like Steve Kerr, the whole league is starting to realize that "Pat is that motherf-".
Edited by: Kelly Cassette