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Professional all-star games are reserved for superstars. Not diminutive 8-year-olds. Clearly, someone didn’t tell that to Joey Spallina at the 2012 Major League Lacrosse showcase.

Before announcing himself to the lacrosse world, Spallina stood alone at midfield during halftime.

First, he tried a casual around-the-world shot with Scott Rodgers in net. Then, he curled around the cage off a pass from his father Joe — then the head coach of the Long Island Lizards — who Spallina said was more nervous than him. That was evident in the second around-the-world finish. Third came a myriad of fakes and a simple shot. To top it off, Spallina ran from X and went airborne for a backhand score.

“It was my first time being in an atmosphere like that,” Spallina said. “I just thought it was cool and great to just be in front of that crowd.”

Yes, it was casual halftime entertainment with no real defense, but Spallina’s skill was evident. Don’t believe it? Listen to the crowd’s oohs and ahs. Little did they know, over a decade later, that 8-year-old would become a top pro lacrosse prospect.

Spallina’s professional lacrosse journey hasn’t commenced. He seldom talks about it — his focus is on helping Syracuse win a national championship. Still, it’s impossible to ignore Spallina’s pro prospects, especially considering he wants to play outdoors in the Professional Lacrosse League and indoors in the National Lacrosse League.

To some, he’s a polarizing PLL prospect. Draft expert Adam Lamberti has him ranked No. 4 on his 2026 big board. ESPN’s Paul Carcaterra has him No. 1. Spallina might have a better shot at going No. 1 in the NLL, due to his box lacrosse proficiency, but if he’s the top pick in both leagues, he’d follow CJ Kirst and Brennan O’Neill as the third straight player to do so. That won’t be determined until April 14’s PLL Draft and this fall’s NLL Draft.

With Joe leading the Lizards, Spallina grew up surrounded by professionals. He was often on the sidelines with a stick in hand. He idolized Rob Pannell, former Lizards attack and MLL MVP, and witnessed the greatness of legends like current PLL President Paul Rabil.

“I learned how to be a pro before I was even close to being a pro,” Spallina said. “Seeing everything and just being aware of everything that’s been going on helped me.”

It helped Spallina develop his desire to be the best. Playing as much lacrosse as possible was a prerequisite for that. It’s why, following his freshman and sophomore seasons, Spallina trekked up north to play box in the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League for the Orangeville Northmen.

Even a Final Four defeat against Maryland didn’t delay his last offseason plans to play for the Snake Island Muskies in the Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League. Muskies head coach Kariwate Mitchell said Spallina was supposed to play occasionally after arriving late.

That expectation changed about three days before Snake Island’s first game in Ottawa, when Spallina called Mitchell to say he was ready to go.

“He seems to be one of the guys that’s happiest when he’s got a stick in his hand,” Mitchell said.

Spallina’s don’t-stop attitude is why the grind of simultaneously playing in the PLL and NLL likely won’t concern him.

It’s far from an easy path, though. Dan Arestia, host of the “Sticks In” podcast, recalled Josh Byrne putting his body through the wringer in 2022. Byrne went right from the NLL Final with the Buffalo Bandits to the PLL with the Carolina Chaos. When the Chaos made the PLL Final, he had two weeks to rest before NLL training camp started. Arestia remembers Byrne talking about how beat up he was.

Ilyan Sarech | Design Editor

Arestia pointed out that others take a simpler route for a few years before working lucrative jobs on Wall Street. But playing in the PLL is becoming more viable. Rabil said on Arestia’s podcast that the average PLL salary is $40,000 a year, and the top 5% make $60,000.

“There are more and more guys now who say, ‘I want to be a pro lacrosse player.’ And (Spallina) wants to be a pro lacrosse player,” Arestia said.

As the world’s biggest professional lacrosse league, the PLL can give Spallina the best chance to shine. Lamberti sees him as a productive X attack and right-handed wing dodger in the PLL. Though Lamberti thinks Spallina is best fit for teams that have pieces in place, so he’s not always the guy.

It’s why he sees Spallina as a good option for the Maryland Whipsnakes, who hold the third pick in the draft. The Utah Archers and Boston Cannons pick first and already have attacks in place, meaning they may pass on Spallina. Meanwhile, the Whipsnakes are looking for a piece to play alongside strong dodgers T.J. Malone and Aidan Carroll, who Lamberti thinks could take the playmaking weight off Spallina’s shoulders.

There’s also a possibility Joe — the current general manager of the California Redwoods, who hold the sixth pick — tries to trade up for Spallina.

When Lamberti released his first big board in late January, Spallina was No. 6. Lamberti admitted he was influenced by Spallina’s one-point performance against Maryland and Will Schaller — Lamberti’s No. 2 prospect — in the 2025 Final Four. Then, Spallina’s four-goal performance against UMD on Feb. 13 boosted his stock in Lamberti’s eyes.

“That’s just super valuable in the PLL, where you just need an attacker that you can trust to make the right decisions, and someone that just knows how to score and find open teammates,” Lamberti said. “And, obviously, that’s something that (Spallina’s) been doing his whole career.”

The PLL is much faster-paced than college, with a 60-second shot clock instead of 90 seconds. But Lamberti thinks Spallina’s quick decision-making will make for a smooth transition. Spallina’s lacrosse IQ is as high as anyone’s. That’s evidenced by his 161 career assists, which are the most of any active Division I player.

He might not have the scoring prowess of guys like Kirst, O’Neill and reigning MVP Connor Shellenberger — all of whom Spallina sometimes gets unfairly compared to, per Lamberti — but he’s produced at every level.

Lamberti mentioned multiple PLL coaches have told him Spallina’s high floor is part of his intrigue as a prospect. Meanwhile, his ceiling is an all-pro caliber player. Lamberti wouldn’t commit to labeling him an MVP-level talent, but based on Spallina’s prowess, it’s hard to put it past him.

For now, Lamberti’s closest comparison for Spallina is Cannon attack Asher Nolting. He regularly uses his body to initiate contact when dodging and backs down players while finding off-ball cutters.

“Joey’s such a unique player that I was struggling to find a comparison that would make sense to the common fan,” Lamberti said. “So, the shades of the physical dodging (from Nolting) that you see without saying was what I wanted to go with.”

The biggest challenge for Spallina at the next level, according to Lamberti, is not to constantly go at defenders one-on-one. It’s not that he can’t win a matchup, but in a league full of high-level players, there could be an adjustment period. Lamberti noted he’s seen Spallina display more patience this season, hence the senior’s rise on his latest big board.

Joey Spallina’s been surrounded by the highest level of lacrosse his whole life. From playing at the 2012 MLL All-Star Game’s youth halftime game to Syracuse’s storied men’s lacrosse team, his next step is to go pro. Eli Schwartz | Asst. Photo Editor

The PLL is an ever-growing league, but Arestia feels Spallina’s ceiling is higher in the NLL. Rochester Knighthawks forward Ryan Lanchbury, who played with Spallina this summer, agrees with that. Spallina dominated in the OJLL, recording 378 points in two seasons and led Snake Island to a Presidents Cup Championship this offseason.

Whether he’s selected with the top pick is unknown. Similar to the PLL, teams might draft for fit rather than talent. With the NLL season still in full swing, the draft order remains undecided. Fellow SU attack Finn Thomson is a candidate for the first pick, alongside Johns Hopkins midfielder Matt Collison.

What’s clear is that Spallina’s indoor game is polished. Arestia highlighted the attack’s ability to play through contact and get to his spot, while understanding leverage against defenders. Spallina often used speed dodges to dust defenders at Mount Sinai, but he’s evolved in college against better defenders.

He represents a shift among Americans toward box lacrosse. Canadians traditionally dominate the indoor game and are known for maneuvering in tight spaces, while speed dodges are Americans’ bread and butter.

But players like Spallina are mastering the nuances of box lacrosse, and for someone who isn’t physically overpowering, it’s helping Spallina become a complete player.

“There’s plenty of people who are going to say seeing high-end pro-level defensemen will limit (Spallina), because he doesn’t perform against this guy or that guy in college,” Arestia said. “But there’s no player more capable of erasing that kind of criticism on his first day as a pro.”

While playing for Snake Island, Spallina picked Lanchbury’s brain about the ins and outs of the NLL. They roomed together in hotels on the Akwesasne reservation in Ontario every weekend. Spallina said it was good to get Lanchbury’s perspective about the league, especially amid a collective bargaining dispute that prevented a lockout in October 2025.

Lanchbury raved about Spallina’s skill and feel for the game, mentioning it’ll only get better as time goes on.

“He really wants to learn, which is something that I think is a really good quality, especially for a guy that’s as talented as he is,” Lanchbury said.

Wherever Spallina ends up, he’ll be the face of his team. Not because he’ll instantly be the best player, but due to the noise that follows him everywhere he goes.

Spallina’s 40,000-plus followers on Instagram represent a new social-media-coded era in lacrosse. He’s been in the spotlight since playing for Mount Sinai in eighth grade, a nascent step in Spallina’s path to going pro. In a few months, Spallina will finally be there.

Amid a pressure-filled 2026 campaign, Spallina isn’t thinking about anything other than a championship. But the allure of becoming a polished pro lingers in the background.

“I rank guys based on who’s the safest bet to have a long and very successful and exemplary pro career,” Arestia said. “I don’t think there’s anybody in this draft who’s more likely to do that than Joey.”

Published on March 19, 2026 at 1:08 am
Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22