Getty Pat Spencer of the Golden State Warriors battles for a rebound during a game against the Washington Wizards.
The Golden State Warriors roster for opening night of the 2022-23 season may be more or less set, but that doesn’t mean that the preseason is lacking for intrigue. Players on the back end of the training camp crew are doing their best to make an impression with their play, be it on the Dubs or one of the NBA‘s other 29 teams.
That includes combo guard Pat Spencer, who famously transitioned from being an elite-level lacrosse player to rocking the hardwood with his raucous style.
During Golden State’s Tuesday bout with the Portland Trail Blazers, Spencer was definitely successful in raising some eyebrows. In 22 minutes of play off the bench, the 26-year-old scored 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting while adding five rebounds, three assists and a steal.
However, it was his hammer dunk late in the third quarter that really got the masses talking.
Spencer’s Sick Slam Gets Steph Rocking & Rolling in the Broadcast Booth
PAT SPENCER DROPS THE HAMMER!!
Steph was HYPED on the broadcast mic 🎙️
With just under two minutes left in the period and the Dubs cruising to a blowout victory, Spencer received the ball above the break and quickly left his defender in the dust with a hard drive down the middle. And while three Portland players thought about helping, there was little left for them to do as Spencer dropped a violent, right-handed flush.
All the while, Warriors star Stephen Curry — who had joined the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast — was going wild for the play in the booth.
“He had one two games ago, and he got this one!” Curry shouted while on the headset. “That’s what I’m talking about! You have any lacrosse references for basketball? I don’t even know how that goes!”
Needless to say, the reaction on social media struck the same chord that Steph’s did.
“I need Pat Spencer to be this organization this season,” declared KRON4’s Jason Dumas. “Big time lax brah. But in all seriousness, huge fan of his.
“Pat Spencer is my new favorite Warrior,” added BuzzFeed’s Zia Thompson.
“Every time Pat Spencer does something great in basketball, I cry a little inside,” tweeted someone identifying as a lacrosse coach. “I feel so robbed. Lacrosse is being Robbed!!!”
“Pat Spencer may look like my local Dunkin’ Donuts cashier, but he can HOOP bruh,” read another tweet.
Kerr Has Been Impressed by Spencer Throughout Training Camp
According to The Athletic‘s Anthony Slater, Spencer actually has a shot at snagging a two-way roster spot with the Dubs. Whether or not he’ll beat out the competition for a deal will be determined by the team’s decision-makers. Clearly, though, he has a fan in head coach Steve Kerr.
Earlier this week, the Dubs play-caller had this to say about the baller, (via Dumas):
“Big fan of Pat’s. Great competitor, great athleticism in terms of his balance and his coordination and his core strength. Jumps with more explosiveness than I realized. He had the play in Tokyo where he tried to dunk on the whole team and he got fouled. I love that he’s a lacrosse guy. I think that sports like soccer and hockey and lacrosse sort of establish a vision that you need in basketball…
“So, I think all of those things are really helpful for Pat… he’s a really intriguing prospect.”