I Worked With an NBA Player
Who is Pat Spencer?
Imagine being a #1 overall draft pick in the sport you played for your entire life. The accomplishment, validation, money, fame, etc., everything you’ve ever worked for comes to fruition in a single moment.
Now… imagine being the #1 overall draft pick and deciding to leave it all behind before setting foot on the field.
Well, that’s exactly what Pat Spencer did. After racking up one of the best statistical careers of all-time, Pat was the first overall draft pick in the 2019 Premier Lacrosse League draft. Then, before ever suiting up, he decided to leave the sport of lacrosse behind in pursuit of a bigger dream.
Why Now?
That was all the way back in 2019, so why tell Pat’s story now? It’s because he achieved the real dream he was after. After playing 4 years of college lacrosse, Pat retrained his body and mind to be an elite-level basketball player. How elite exactly? He received a full NBA contract from the Golden State Warriors in March 2025.
In partnering with Pat to make this video, we wanted to reintroduce him to the lacrosse world, tell his story, and integrate an advertisement for ChillShark, a start-up venture that Pat is a partner in. The primary reason this video was produced was because of ChillShark. Normally, having an advertisement be the primary reason for production would be a red flag. However, considering Pat doesn’t use social media, the news of him receiving a full NBA contract, and that he has not done any interviews with lacrosse media, we knew that our video would provide lacrosse fans an exciting way to reconnect with Pat.
What I am most proud of from the production process of video is the discover of an interview Pat did during college. In the older interview, Pat was asked what he wants to do when he grows up, and he said, “I want to start my own company.” We used that clip in our video to be our first introduction to ChillShark. For our interview, we asked Pat if he remembered what he said all those years ago. He first guessed he said NBA player, but when he found out that was wrong he immediately knew it was related to entrepreneurship.
There’s an authenticity in the What & Why of this product which aligns perfectly with our own mission. Our brief partnership with Pat in this video isn’t some influencer-based money grab. In hindsight, what gave us the greenlight to pursue this, is that Pat’s story is worth telling with or without the involvement of ChillShark, so we were confident we would create a positive fan experience.
Watch Now:
