Pat Spencer: Lacrosse Star Turned NBA Guard Biography

Pat Spencer didn’t take the typical route to the NBA. Most guards in the league have been playing basketball year-round since grade school — Spencer spent his college years dominating a different sport entirely.

Born: July 4, 1996 (age 30) ·
Height: 6′ 2″ (1.88 m) ·
Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg) ·
Position: Guard ·
Current Team: Phoenix Suns (NBA) ·
College: Loyola (MD) / Northwestern

Pat Spencer’s career stats — across two sports — tell a story of adaptability that few professional athletes can match. Here’s a look at the key facts that define his unusual path.

Is Pat Spencer the greatest lacrosse player of all time?

His lacrosse accolades and records

Spencer’s lacrosse résumé at Loyola University Maryland is short on ambiguity and long on hardware. He was a four-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year — a feat that signals sustained dominance rather than a single breakout season, according to Loyola Greyhounds, the official athletics site.

• NCAA Division I all-time leader in assists (231) (Loyola Greyhounds, official athletics site)
• Second in NCAA Division I history in points (380) (Loyola Greyhounds, official athletics site)
• First-team All-American (2019) (Loyola Greyhounds, official athletics site)
• First Tewaaraton Award winner in Loyola program history (Loyola Greyhounds, official athletics site)

His 231 assists aren’t just a record — they’re a statement about how he played the game. Spencer saw the field the way a point guard sees a basketball court, threading passes that teammates didn’t always expect but learned to anticipate.

Where he ranks among all-time greats

The question of “greatest ever” depends on what you value. On pure NCAA production, Spencer is in the top tier with names like Lyle Thompson and Dylan Molloy. He graduated in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, per Loyola Greyhounds, the official athletics site, and left with a statistical profile that may never be matched.

The catch: most discussions of “all-time greats” factor in professional outdoor and indoor success. Spencer’s decision to pursue basketball after college means his lacrosse legacy is a college-only story. For fans who value NCAA production above all, he belongs in the conversation. For those who weigh professional careers, the debate is more open.

How did Pat Spencer get in the NBA?

Transition from lacrosse to basketball

Most two-sport college athletes pick one sport early. Spencer played both at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland and chose lacrosse for college, enrolling at Loyola. But after exhausting his lacrosse eligibility in 2019, he had one year of basketball eligibility left — and he took it.

• Transferred to Northwestern University for the 2019-2020 season
• Played for the Wildcats as a graduate transfer
• Went undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft

The jump from Division I lacrosse to Division I basketball is rare. According to NCAA.com, the governing body of college sports, Spencer’s path from college lacrosse to an NBA contract is virtually unprecedented in modern sports.

College basketball at Northwestern

At Northwestern, Spencer played in 15 games, averaging 2.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in about 10 minutes per game. The numbers weren’t eye-catching, but the tape showed a player who understood spacing and timing — skills that translated directly from lacrosse.

After going undrafted in 2020, Spencer spent the 2021-2023 seasons with the Capital City Go-Go in the NBA G League, grinding through a two-year development cycle that most undrafted players don’t survive.

Signing with the Golden State Warriors and later Phoenix Suns

Spencer signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors on February 22, 2024, according to NCAA.com, the governing body of college sports. Three days later, on February 25, 2024, he made his NBA debut against the Denver Nuggets.

The Warriors converted his two-way deal to a standard NBA contract on March 4, 2025, as reported by Yahoo Sports, a major sports media outlet. At the time of that conversion, Spencer had averaged 2.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 7.0 minutes across 28 games.

In a separate move, the Warriors converted Spencer to a standard NBA contract again on February 7, 2026, per Golden State Warriors, the team’s official site. By then, his numbers had climbed to 5.8 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in 14.4 minutes over 36 games.

As of the 2025-26 season, Spencer is a point guard for the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN, the sports media and analytics platform.

How much money does Pat Spencer make?

NBA contract details

Spencer’s two-way contract with the Warriors carried an annual value of approximately $500,000. When the Warriors converted him to a standard NBA contract in March 2025, the salary for the remainder of the 2024-25 season was $438,810, according to Yahoo Sports, a major sports media outlet.

The exact financial terms of his current contract with the Phoenix Suns are not publicly disclosed in detail as of 2025.

Career earnings estimate

Based on available data, Spencer’s total career earnings from professional basketball — including G League salaries, two-way contracts, and standard NBA deals — likely fall under $2 million. That’s a modest sum by NBA standards, but it’s significant for a player who entered the league as an undrafted guard with no college basketball pedigree.

For context, the NBA minimum salary for a player with Spencer’s experience level was approximately $1.1 million in the 2024-25 season. His two-way and G League income before that was substantially lower, typically ranging from $40,000 to $75,000 per year.

The catch: Spencer’s earnings reflect his path — G League wages during development, then NBA minimum deals. If he secures a permanent rotation spot, future contracts could rewrite that total significantly.

What is Pat Spencer doing now?

Current NBA role with Phoenix Suns

Spencer is a point guard for the Phoenix Suns as of the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN, the sports media and analytics platform. His role is primarily as a reserve guard, with minutes split between NBA games and G League assignments.

His career NBA regular-season statistics, compiled across 103 games, show a player who contributes efficiently in limited minutes:

• 12.7 minutes per game
• 42.7% field goal shooting
• 34.2% from three-point range
• 78.5% free throw shooting
• 1.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.5 steals per game
• 4.9 points per game

All figures from ESPN, the sports media and analytics platform.

Off-court activities and future plans

There is no public information suggesting Spencer has a second job or significant off-court business ventures. His focus remains on basketball. Whether he can secure a permanent rotation spot on an NBA roster or will eventually return to lacrosse in a coaching or front-office capacity remains an open question.

The trade-off: Spencer traded a guaranteed lacrosse legacy for an uncertain basketball career. The bet is paying off — he’s in the NBA — but the long-term financial and professional calculus is still being decided.

Is Pat Spencer’s brother in the NBA?

Family background and siblings

No, Pat Spencer does not have a brother currently playing in the NBA. His brother, Cam Spencer, played college basketball at Loyola (MD) and later at Rutgers, but he did not pursue a professional basketball career at the NBA level.

Pat Spencer’s family includes multiple athletes. His father, Pat Spencer Sr., played basketball at Loyola (MD) in the 1990s. The Spencer family athletic background is deep, but Pat is the only member to reach the NBA.

The implication: The “Spencer” name in basketball is still a one-person story at the NBA level. Cam Spencer’s college career was solid, but the gap between college basketball and the NBA is wide — and only Pat has crossed it.

How tall is Pat Spencer?

Height listed by NBA

Pat Spencer is listed at 6′ 2″ (1.88 m) and 205 lbs (93 kg) by the NBA and ESPN, the sports media and analytics platform. His college lacrosse roster at Loyola listed him at 6′ 3″ and 205 pounds, per Loyola Greyhounds, the official athletics site — a minor discrepancy that likely reflects measurement differences between sports.

How his height compares to other NBA guards

At 6′ 2″, Spencer is slightly below the average height for NBA point guards, which hovers around 6′ 3″. He compensates with a strong frame (205 lbs) and a wingspan that helps him compete defensively. His height hasn’t been a limiting factor in his transition — his court vision and passing ability, honed in lacrosse, are what keep him on the floor.

Seven NBA players this season are listed at exactly 6′ 2″, and another 20 are between 6′ 1″ and 6′ 3″. Spencer’s height is within the normal range for his position.

Is Pat Spencer married?

Personal life and relationship status

There is no public information indicating that Pat Spencer is married as of 2025. He keeps his personal life private, and no verified reports about a spouse or partner have been published by credible media outlets.

This privacy is not unusual for a player who entered the league as a late-round development project rather than a high-profile draft pick. Spencer’s public persona is almost entirely focused on basketball and, occasionally, his lacrosse background.

What this means: Fans looking for personal details about Spencer will find little beyond his basketball and lacrosse careers. That’s by design — his public narrative is about his athletic journey, not his private life.

Pat Spencer’s career is a case study in what happens when elite talent refuses to be boxed into one sport. He didn’t just switch from lacrosse to basketball — he mastered the first, then bet on himself in the second. For every young athlete told to specialize early, Spencer’s path offers a counterargument: elite skills transfer, and the willingness to bet on adaptability over convention can open doors that single-sport focus never will. For the Phoenix Suns, the gamble on a former lacrosse star is a low-risk, high-upside bet on a player who has already proven he can learn, adapt, and earn a roster spot at the highest level.