The Golden State Warriors: The Surprising Rookie

His name was lost during the Golden State Warriors playoff run, but Patrick McCaw‘s play will be remembered.

Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kyrie Irving are all names garnering much of the talk during and after these NBA Finals. Rightfully so. LeBron is the only player to average a triple-double in NBA Finals history. Durant finally got that ring and Finals MVP trophy he so rightfully deserves.

But there is one name that continued to surprise many, once you got past the big names. A rookie from UNLV, Patrick McCaw. Even the announcers seemed gleefully shocked when he would drive to the basket for a big bucket.

McCaw didn’t see too many minutes – he averaged 12 in the postseason – but for those watching he undeniably made a difference.

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Let’s start in game two in the series against the Trail Blazers. Remember Kevin Durant was out with a calf injury. Who did Coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors ask to step up? That’s right, it was McCaw. This was a rookie who had played just 23 seconds in game one of that series, and they put him on the court for over 34 minutes in the second game.

To drive home the confidence Kerr has in McCaw, he asked the rookie to guard Portland’s go-to man, Damian Lillard. That’s a big load for the guard who jumped up and down from the Warriors D-League affiliate this season.

McCaw started timid in that Portland game, but gained momentum as the clock ticked away. He has a Kawhi Leonard-esque attitude on the court: monotone, unemotional, and methodical in his play. But he came alive as his confidence grew. Even Draymond Green and Klay Thompson sang his praises after the win.

"“He was great tonight. He shot the ball, he drove close-outs hard, he got into the paint, he was great on the defensive end”, Green stated."

Not a bad review for McCaw. His play was so solid that he received the starting nod in Game 3 as well.

Then there was the series against the Spurs. Andre Iguodala went down with a sore knee in game one and who did Kerr turn to this time? Patrick McCaw. Once again, he was thrust into the lineup and got right to work. He tallied 18 points, five assists, and three steals in 27 minutes against San Antonio. Quite a game.

In fact, he played in 15 of the 17 Warriors playoff games. And there was a stretch in games five against the Cavaliers when he put on a dazzling performance.

Golden State Warriors guard Patrick McCaw (0) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Deron Williams (31) and forward Kevin Love (0). Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

In came McCaw at a crucial point, the end of the third quarter. Immediately he drove for a layup, missed, got his own rebound, and got the bucket. On the very next trip down the court for the Warriors, he got away from his defender and, on a dish from Curry, finished. In the face of LeBron at that. During a finals game, where the Warriors could win a ring, he looked LeBron in the eyes and went right at him. Impressive and gutsy to say the least.

Equally as remarkable is his composure and attitude off the court. McCaw is unassuming, appreciative, and eloquent.

When asked about the playoffs he uttered, “It’s unreal to be honest. I go day by day with what is going on. Right now, in this moment, I still can’t believe it. All this is like a dream unfolding right in front of me.”

Finding a player who can deliver on the court, while remaining humble off it, is just that – a dream.

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That’s not to say that he is a go to starter right now. Undoubtedly there is work to be done – look how Irving blew by him in game five – but he shows serious promise for a rookie.

McCaw has proven in multiple games that he has what it takes to play against the best, and stay with them. Just add it to the pile of things the Golden State Warriors should be smiling about right now.

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