Pat Spencer Bio
Patrick Andrew Spencer (born July 4, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA), working under a two-way arrangement with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League. He first earned national recognition as one of the most accomplished college lacrosse players of all time, setting the NCAA men’s lacrosse record for career assists with 231 during his time at Loyola Maryland. Spencer later shifted his primary focus to basketball, playing one season for the Northwestern Wildcats before launching a professional career that has carried him from Germany to the NBA.
Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and listed at 205 pounds, Spencer plays as a point guard and shooting guard. His unusual path from elite lacrosse to professional basketball has made him one of the more distinctive stories in modern basketball, blending vision and playmaking instincts from the lacrosse field with the shooting and ball-handling demands of the NBA.
Early Life and Background
Pat Spencer was born on July 4, 1996, in Davidsonville, Maryland. He grew up in a region with deep roots in both lacrosse and basketball, two sports that would shape his athletic identity. Prior to his junior year of high school, Spencer grew from 5-foot-6 to 6-foot-2, a change that helped unlock his potential in both sports.
He attended Boys’ Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore, where he earned four varsity letters across basketball and lacrosse. As a senior, he averaged 14.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 2.3 steals per game in basketball, while also starring in lacrosse. He was a US Lacrosse High School All-American and played for the Under Armour Underclass All-American Team Baltimore in 2014. His combination of size, court vision, and competitiveness quickly made him one of the most recruited two-sport athletes in the region.
Path to Basketball
Spencer originally committed his athletic future to lacrosse, enrolling at Loyola Maryland, where he played attack for the Loyola Greyhounds. During his four collegiate seasons, Loyola compiled a record of 49 wins and 19 losses, including a 14-4 campaign in 2016 that reached the NCAA Final Four. Spencer became the face of the program, finishing his career with the NCAA men’s lacrosse record for career assists at 231 and the Patriot League record for career points at 380.
His senior year brought a sweep of major national honors: the Lt. Raymond Enners Award as USILA national player of the year, the Jack Turnbull Award as the nation’s top attackman, and the Tewaaraton Award, regarded as the Heisman Trophy of NCAA Division I lacrosse. He was a four-time All-American and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Finance.
Despite being selected first overall by the Archers Lacrosse Club in the 2019 Premier Lacrosse League collegiate draft, Spencer chose not to pursue professional lacrosse. Instead, he used his graduate transfer eligibility to play one season of college basketball at Northwestern University during 2019-20, where he averaged 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game before the season was cut short by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pat Spencer Career
Early Career (2021-2022)
In April 2021, Pat Spencer joined Hamburg Towers of the German Basketball Bundesliga for the remainder of the 2020-21 season, marking his first professional basketball opportunity. In eight games overseas, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, gaining valuable experience against grown professional competition.
Later that October, Spencer moved back to the United States and joined the Capital City Go-Go, the NBA G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards, for the 2021-22 season. In 26 games, he averaged 6.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He also played for the Washington Wizards during the 2022 NBA Summer League, further developing his game against higher-level opponents.
Golden State and Santa Cruz Warriors Era (2022-Present)
On July 25, 2022, Pat Spencer signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Golden State Warriors before being waived on October 15. He was assigned to the Santa Cruz Warriors for the 2022-23 NBA G League season, where injuries limited him to just nine games, though he averaged an impressive 10.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Spencer rejoined Santa Cruz on November 29, 2023, and his strong play led to a two-way contract with Golden State on February 22, 2024. He made his NBA debut three days later against the Denver Nuggets, appearing in six NBA games to close the 2023-24 season while averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists across 45 G League contests.
The 2024-25 season marked a turning point. On January 10, 2025, he scored a season-high 17 points in a loss to the Indiana Pacers, and on March 4, 2025, Golden State converted his two-way deal into a standard NBA contract. In 47 NBA games that season, he averaged 2.9 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, while also posting 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.2 steals across six G League appearances.
Driving Style and Strengths
Spencer is widely regarded as a high-IQ playmaker whose lacrosse background translates directly to the basketball court. His court vision, ability to read spacing, and willingness to move the ball ahead of himself draw directly from years as a lacrosse attackman. Coaches have praised his toughness, decision-making, and knack for rising to bigger moments when minutes and responsibilities expand.
Notable Events and Milestones
His breakout NBA stretch came in early December 2025, when injuries to key players, including Stephen Curry, opened up extended minutes. Spencer responded by averaging 15.2 points and 5.4 assists across a five-game stretch, and on December 6, 2025, he recorded his first NBA start with 19 points and seven assists in a 99-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Head coach Steve Kerr memorably praised him after that performance. On February 5, 2026, he scored a career-high 20 points in a 101-97 win over the Phoenix Suns, and two days later his two-way deal was again converted into a standard NBA contract.
Pat Spencer Career Wins
Pat Spencer’s professional resume includes stints in the German Basketball Bundesliga, the NBA G League, and the NBA. While he has not yet secured a major individual championship at the professional level, his continued progression and contract conversions reflect steady upward momentum and growing trust from the Golden State Warriors organization.
NBA G League Highlights
Across his G League stops with the Capital City Go-Go and the Santa Cruz Warriors, Spencer has posted strong per-game production as a playmaker and scorer. His most productive G League season came in 2024-25, when he averaged 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.2 steals across six appearances for Santa Cruz, showcasing the all-around game that has fueled his NBA opportunities.
Other Wins and Performances
Before turning professional, Spencer’s career was defined by record-setting success in college lacrosse, including the NCAA men’s lacrosse career assists record, the Patriot League career points record, and the 2019 Tewaaraton Award. He also contributed to a Loyola Maryland team that reached the 2016 NCAA Final Four.
Pat Spencer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Pat Spencer comes from a family with strong athletic ties, particularly in lacrosse and basketball. His younger brother, Cam Spencer, followed a similar path through the Loyola Greyhounds before playing college basketball at Rutgers and UConn, where he won the 2024 NCAA national championship. Cam was selected 53rd overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, with his rights later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Personal Life
Spencer is known for keeping his personal life largely private. He graduated from Loyola Maryland with a Bachelor of Business Finance before completing a graduate year at Northwestern University. His story continues to draw attention as one of the most unique transitions in modern professional basketball, from record-setting lacrosse star to contributing NBA player.
2025 Season Performance
Pat Spencer’s 2025 calendar was the most significant stretch of his NBA career to date. After opening the 2024-25 season on a two-way contract, he delivered a season-high 17 points against the Indiana Pacers on January 10, 2025, and on March 4, 2025, Golden State converted his deal into a standard NBA contract in recognition of his development.
Heading into 2025-26, Spencer signed a new two-way contract on September 29, 2025, but his role quickly expanded when injuries struck Golden State’s backcourt. He answered with a five-game stretch averaging 15.2 points and 5.4 assists, capped by his first NBA start on December 6, 2025, a 19-point, seven-assist effort in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
By early 2026, Spencer had cemented himself as a reliable rotation piece for the Warriors. His career-high 20 points against the Phoenix Suns on February 5, 2026, followed two days later by another conversion of his two-way contract into a standard NBA deal, signaled that his unlikely journey from college lacrosse legend to established NBA role player is still on the rise.
