Meet Pat Spencer, the NBA's most unlikely player who went from lacrosse legend to the League
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Spencer's stats (5.7 points per game in 13.6 minutes) didn't pop with Capital City, but he shot 39% on three-point attempts and intrigued the Warriors franchise enough that they traded for his rights.
He would go on to play a handful of games for the G League's Santa Cruz Warriors in 2022-23, 43 more the next year (along with his call-up to the NBA) and six this year when he wasn't up with the Warriors.
To get to the point where he's playing in games in the second round of the NBA playoffs (which will likely continue with superstar point guard Stephen Curry out short-term due to an injury), Spencer had to make a G League team via a tryout, battle through some injuries, sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the Warriors, turn that into a two-way deal and then an NBA contract late this season (Toronto's Jamison Battle charted a similar path with the Raptors this year, but he's five years younger than Spencer and was still considered an older rookie).
Warriors guard and former @NUMensBball and @LoyolaMLAX star Pat Spencer gets some shots up during shootaround. Spencer will likely see an elevated role with Stephen Curry out of the lineup. pic.twitter.com/9AibmTfKHR
— Jake Epstein (@Jakeepste1n) May 8, 2025
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