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Pat Spencer’s path to the NBA is unique. The 29-year-old was a world-class lacrosse player, setting the NCAA men’s lacrosse record for career assists with 231, before transitioning to basketball late. He played one year of college ball at Northwestern before chasing an NBA dream that required G-League stops, training-camp invites, two-way contracts and moments of uncertainty. His teammate Al Horford said it’s unlike any story he’s ever heard of in this league. “I’ve never seen that,” said the 18-year NBA veteran. “And I’ve talked to him because I’ve been so curious about that transition. It’s like that dude, you got to have a different mindset and a different will to you. He literally willed his way here. … So, a lot of respect for him, how he approaches the day-to-day and how he prepares himself. And he’s earned to be in this position.”
Spencer’s competitive edge did not develop overnight. He credits his parents, Donna and Bruce, for it. He says his brothers, Cam and Will, are wired the same way. “I’ve been like this my whole life,” Pat said. “Whether a buddy’s in second grade at a birthday party and losing it on my buddies. Just growing up with two younger brothers, we competed at everything.” Ping-pong. Video games. Cornhole. Basketball games in the driveway. There was always another game somewhere. “We joke,” Pat said. “Thanksgiving morning, we always go down to the Naval Academy with my uncle and his crew. It ends up in a fight. Someone has to lose.”
Pat Spencer’s competitive nature within the Warriors’ facility is well-known. Ask around, and there’s always a story about how frustrated he can get after losing a pick-up game, how intensely he treats each rep and how seriously he takes film sessions even when his role is uncertain. “He’s like one of the coaches over there,” former Warriors guard Buddy Hield said. “Because in [the] film session he’s always talking, so he knows what the coaches want and he has that eye. He has a great basketball mind. I think he’s going to have a bright future after basketball in this league, too. I love him a lot. … I understand him. I understand his struggles.”
There were some fresh rumbles over the weekend that the Warriors might opt not to sign Lonzo Ball in the end after converting Pat Spencer from a two-way deal to a standard NBA contract.
Shams Charania: The Golden State Warriors are signing two-way guard Pat Spencer to a contract for the rest of the season, Mark Bartelstein and Ross Aroyo of @PrioritySports tell ESPN.
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Michael Scotto: The Golden State Warriors have converted two-way guard Pat Spencer to a standard NBA contract for the rest of the season, Mark Bartelstein and Ross Aroyo of @PrioritySports told @hoopshype . Spencer has shot 43.1 percent from 3-point range this season. ESPN was first to report.
Anthony Slater: Second straight season Pat Spencer has been converted to a full roster contract with the Warriors. They did it prior to playoffs last season. Spencer had reached his 50-game two-way limit. He started and scored 20 points in win in Phoenix the other night.
Bobby Marks: Spencer had reached the maximum games allowed (50) to be on the active list. Rest of the season contract for a player with 2 YOS= $857,804. He is a restricted FA in July (3 YOS or less) Golden State has 2 open roster spots: standard and Two-Way
Marc Stein: The Warriors make the first half of Jake's reporting from this morning official: Golden State has converted Pat Spencer from a two-way deal to a standard contract.
“Last year, I feel like we went to the regular season and we had to earn our respect through winning, because we hadn’t done anything yet,” guard Alex Caruso told The Athletic, his eyelid purple and plump after taking a shot from feisty Warriors guard Pat Spencer two nights earlier. “That being said, a lot of teams probably didn’t show up with the same energy and same mindset that they do this year that’s coming off (us) winning the championship. “A lot of times, I think we’re not playing our best, at least not to the level that these other teams are coming in with. The mindset, the execution. Maybe their will to win is a little higher than ours, which shouldn’t be the case.”
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Brandon Rahbar: Jalen Williams was asked by @NBAonPrime what Pat Spencer said to get a tech. "You guys want me to get fined [laughs].. I'm not allowed to repeat what Pat said." JDub said Spencer is a dog.. and that he was just too close to the refs when he said what he said.
Sam Gordon: Kerr on Jonathan Kuminga’s path back into Golden State’s rotation: "It's tough because he's not really a short-minute player. I played a bunch of guys eight, 10 minutes. JK is a guy who needs his rhythm. He's not like a Gui (Santos) who's going to come in or Pat (Spencer) and just fly around and play with great energy for four minutes and come out. He needs some rhythm. He always has to stay ready. There's a pathway there, but right now, it's not there. But things change quickly in the NBA."
Anthony Slater: Al Horford and Pat Spencer are out for the Warriors tomorrow night in Phoenix. Everyone else available.
