Patrick McCaw returns to UNLV for NBA Summer League play

It didn’t break Patrick McCaw’s heart that he didn’t get to meet NBA commissioner Adam Silver at last month’s NBA Draft.

The way McCaw sees it, he’d rather meet Silver the week before the draft when he is part of a world championship team and has the Larry O’Brien Trophy in his hands.

The former UNLV guard was selected in the second round at No. 38 by Milwaukee, then immediately traded to Golden State for cash considerations. He missed out on being a first-round pick, but the Warriors are treating McCaw as if he was one of the top 30 selected.

McCaw signed a guaranteed two-year, $1.2 million deal and is expected to make Golden State’s opening-night roster. And Warriors general manager Bob Myers said he thinks McCaw can be a contributing factor off the bench.

“In Patrick, we saw someone who has high potential in every area,” Myers said. “He has great intuition and is a hard-working kid. We look for multifaceted players, and he does everything well.”

For the 6-foot-7-inch McCaw, who makes his NBA debut at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against defending summer league champion San Antonio, going to Golden State was like being a lottery pick, only without the big money.

“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” he said. “It’s a blessing to be in the position I’m in. It’s a great organization with a great coaching staff, great players and great fans.

”I’m going to get an opportunity to play for a team that has won and can win a championship.”

The fact the Warriors signed Kevin Durant this week wasn’t lost on McCaw, who was already looking forward to sharing the locker room at Oracle Arena with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

“It was like, ‘Wow! I get to learn from another great player in Kevin Durant,’ ” McCaw said. “I can’t wait to meet him and all the guys.”

The son of a high school basketball coach, McCaw led the Rebels in scoring (14.7), assists (3.9) and steals (2.5) last season as a sophomore. He was second in rebounds (5.2).

He could have stayed in school and tried to build his resume. But with Dave Rice being fired in January and the uncertainty that surrounded the program before Marvin Menzies’ hiring, McCaw decided to leave.

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “Las Vegas embraced me. I love the school. I love the fans. They were great to me.

“But after talking it over with my family, I thought this was the best thing for me to do for my future.”

McCaw now gets to devote 100 percent of his time to basketball. He said he has always approached the game as his job and thinks he is prepared to make the transition from college to pro.

“I feel like my game has developed,” he said. “I don’t think the pace of the game will throw me. One of my strengths is my knowledge and feel for the game.

“I interpret things well. I see the floor well. I’m not going to try and play beyond my limits. Whatever role (Golden State) gives me I’ll accept and work as hard as I can to help them win.”

Stacey Augmon, the former UNLV assistant who coached McCaw in his two years with the Rebels, has no doubt McCaw will make it in the NBA.

“He’s such a smart player who does so many things well,” said Augmon, who is assisting the Milwaukee Bucks’ summer league team. “He was a joy to coach. You tell him to do something once, and he does it. He works hard and takes pride in what he does. He’s got a bright future.”

Had McCaw remained at UNLV, he would have had a date against Duke on Dec. 10 at T-Mobile Arena. But even though he left, he’ll still get to play Oct. 15 at T-Mobile when the Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA preseason game.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “I’m in Vegas this week, then I’m back in the fall. It’s almost as if I never left.”

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow on Twitter: @stevecarprj