Davidsonville native Pat Spencer made his NBA debut on Feb. 25 with the Golden State Warriors … and his path to get there was unlike any other.
Spencer won the Tewaaraton Award at Loyola in 2019 as the best player in NCAA men’s lacrosse, then played basketball for Northwestern during the 2019-20 season. Most recently, the 27-year-old signed a two-way contract with the Warriors on Feb. 22 after spending three seasons in the G League.
Spencer’s journey comes as a surprise to many, but not to himself.
“It’s just another milestone for me,” Spencer said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 28. “I was super excited to be a part of it, but ultimately the next step is to get that real contract and contribute at a high level.”
While he was shining with a stick in his hand at Loyola — where he became the all-time Division I career leader in assists — Spencer had professional aspirations for a different sport.
“Even during my time at Loyola, I knew I could get [to the NBA],” Spencer said. “I think, just for a lot of guys, it’s about finding the right path and finding someone who’s going to give you an opportunity and values what you bring to the table.”
That confidence and competitive nature can explain why Spencer didn’t take home a souvenir from his first NBA game. He believes he can carve out a career in the NBA. It’s also why he doesn’t think too much about sharing a court with stars such as Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic.
“I feel like I belong,” Spencer said. “… The goal for me is just to work as hard as I can to be the best player I can be. So I appreciate the talent, but at the end of the day I’m not really a fan. I’d rather be a competitor and go out there and compete against any of those guys.”
Although he has plenty of it, Spencer’s unique journey wasn’t merely a product of natural ability. He was lightly recruited out of Boys’ Latin, where he played basketball and lacrosse.
“Loyola was one of the schools that really took a chance on me,” Spencer said. “I didn’t have a whole lot of opportunity coming out of high school, and I was back to square one in basketball when I started. My journey in lacrosse was very similar to my journey in basketball.”
Spencer is the most decorated student-athlete in Loyola’s history. He won the Tewaaraton Award as a senior — his third straight season being named a finalist — and was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year in all four of his seasons.
Spencer hit the hardwood for his final year of collegiate eligibility. Despite four years away from basketball, he averaged 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for Northwestern, starting in all but two games.
This season marks Spencer’s third in the G League, a breakout year in which he averaged 14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s League affiliate, before finally signing his first NBA contract.
While extremely rare, there have been instances of athletes excelling in multiple professional sports, most notably Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. But Spencer likely won’t be the next. Lacrosse is returning to the Olympics in 2028, but Spencer is fully committed to a basketball career.
“I wish I could [compete in lacrosse in the Olympics],” Spencer said. “It’s such an honor to represent your country in any way, shape or form, but I’ve got a tight window here to do what I love basketball-wise, and just to do that in the offseason would put me in a little bit of jeopardy.”
Spencer’s NBA debut is just one step in what he believes will be many in his career on the court. One of his next goals is to play alongside his brother, Cam Spencer, the second-leading scorer for defending champion Connecticut.
“I think it would be cool to play together,” Pat Spencer said. “… It’d be a dream come true, I think, for both of us, but even more so for our parents and our family to be able to watch us play.”
For more from Spencer, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Golden State Warriors