Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer scored a career-high 19 points and dished seven assists in a 99-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 29-year-old explained how his lacrosse stardom at Loyola University Maryland enhances his NBA play. Spencer made his debut as a starter under coach Steve Kerr in the game.
Pat Spencer, a two-way guard for the Golden State Warriors, drew on his lacrosse experience during a recent interview following his standout performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 99-94 victory on Saturday at Rocket Arena, Spencer tallied 19 points and seven assists, marking his career high in scoring. This game also served as his first start in coach Steve Kerr's lineup during the 2025-26 NBA season.
Before transitioning to basketball, Spencer was a lacrosse superstar at Loyola University Maryland from 2016 to 2019. There, he set the Division I record for assists with 231 and won the Tewaaraton Award—considered the Heisman Trophy of lacrosse—as a senior. He then transferred to Northwestern for the 2019-20 season to focus on basketball.
During NBC Sports Bay Area's 'Warriors Postgame Live,' hosted by Kerith Burke, Zena Keita, and Festus Ezeli, Spencer discussed the overlap between the sports. 'It definitely does [help],' Spencer said. '[I] just feel like there’s a real overlap between the two sports. I’m a believer in being an athlete first. Ultimately, my focus is going to be [on being] a team player, pass-first and [to] get other guys involved and find a way to help the team win. If it means scoring a couple of big buckets, great; if it means I score zero points, I’m truly happy to do it.'
As a three-year NBA veteran, Spencer has shown strong ball control and smart decision-making, creating opportunities for teammates and taking open shots. Kerr praised him, calling Spencer 'that motherf–ker,' highlighting his impact on the court.