Drew Peterson understands that if he wants to become an impactful rotation player in Boston, the path forward has already been paved.
That’s because he’s not the first undrafted Celtic sharpshooter to head to Maine in recent years. Just two years ago, it was Sam Hauser who was playing high-level basketball as a G-Leaguer, hoping to one day earn a fully guaranteed contract and real minutes in Boston.
That day came pretty fast, and now Hauser is one of the most effective bench players in the league — the owner of the third highest +/- among all bench players, and a 41.2% three-point shooter.
The parallels between Sam Hauser and Drew Peterson are undeniable – both were undrafted out of college after illustrious and lengthy careers, both are sharpshooters with picture-perfect releases, and both are deceptively effective defensively, thriving as all-around players.
Hauser is 6’7, and averaged 16 points per game as a fifth-year senior in Virginia while shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc. Peterson is a bit taller – currently listed at 6’9 – and averaged 13.9 points per game in his fifth collegiate season as USC. In his two seasons for Southern California, he shot 38.4% from downtown, and that number has increased during his G-League tenure.
In December, Joe Mazzulla said he liked Hauser as a model for Peterson: “You take a look at Sam and what he’s done – the more times you can put your guys into a specific role of what they can become over time, and you see it work into fruition, it’s kind of a formula that you have and can develop.”
Peterson is carefully observing what role players like Hauser have done in order to successfully break through and become impactful players in the league.
“I’m just seeing how you can be a part of the system in the long term, what it takes to play at that level, watching guys like Sam, Payton [Pritchard] excel at their roles that they’re so good at, that has made them such a crucial part of the team,” Peterson told CelticsBlog in an exclusive interview. “It’s something that I’m looking for, that I’m really studying.”
Hauser spent much of the 2021-22 season with Maine, averaging 20.2 points per game and shooting 40.7% from downtown. Many of the staff that were around for Hauser’s tenure are still around, so Peterson has made sure to lean on them for more information on how Hauser learned to move without the ball and become more versatile as a defender.
“I’m talking to staff here about it, I’m watching clips,” Peterson said. “I watched some clips of his defense when he was here, how you can make an impact in many different ways, even without the ball. It’s something where there’s a clear framework, and an understanding of what you can do to get to that level, and get to be making a role and an impact. It’s definitely something I’m looking at every day, and am trying to be able to maximize.”
While he works toward the long-term goal, Peterson is enjoying life as a two-way player.
Earlier this month, Drew Peterson made the trip to Boston to watch the Celtics win against the Wizards from the sidelines, and while he didn’t see the court – the Celtics never got an extended lead – he nonetheless viewed the chance to spend time with teammates and experience a game in-person as invaluable.
Celtics two-way players JD Davison and Drew Peterson are at TD Garden.
Davison had 38 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds last night. Has just been outstanding this year. pic.twitter.com/N8cW7Q7JvK
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) February 9, 2024
The next morning, he was back in Maine to face off against the Indiana Mad Ants in a G-League duel. He’s thrived in Maine – averaging 16.4 points per game on 49.2% shooting – and two months after signing with Boston, he’s all settled in.
Peterson has his car with him in Maine, so he was able to drive himself to TD Garden when he got the call he’d be joining the team for a regular season game. The drive to Portland tends to be pretty straightforward, but the one back to Boston can be confusing for first-timers.
“I decided to drive just to experience the first drive, the back-and-forth. It’s not too bad of a trip,” Peterson said. “On the way to the game, I missed an exit and I got kind of worried, so I’m getting used to driving around Boston.”
Peterson doesn’t mind the back-and-forth. The G-League is filled with commercial travel and extended stays in different cities – this week, for example, the Maine Celtics were in Birmingham, Alabama for a back-to-back.
“It’s cool getting to really be around everything,” Peterson said. “I’ve only been there [TD Garden] a few times, but getting to be around the guys and seeing how a typical day goes, especially on game days. It’s really cool getting to experience that, and just seeing how you can be a part of the system in the long term.”
Peterson is more than just a shooter — his 42.2% three-point percentage stands out, but he’s also grabbed 6.8 rebounds and dished out 5.3 assists per game as a Maine Celtic.
He previously told CelticsBlog his on-court inspiration is Derrick White, which Maine Celtics head coach Blaine Mueller said was a welcome role model.
During his time in Boston, he’s been struck by how close the locker room was: “You can tell the chemistry on and off the court — it’s through the roof.”
He said that Al Horford and Payton Pritchard make a particularly noticeable effort to include him and the rest of the new guys in conversation.
“They’re so good at getting everybody involved,” Peterson said. With Jaden Springer and Xavier Tillman Sr. on the team, Peterson is no longer the newest guy in town. In turn, he’s grown a lot more comfortable when he does get sent to Boston for a short stint.
This year, Peterson joined mid-season, so he missed training camp and offseason workouts. He looks forward to the opportunity to further immerse himself in Celtics culture this summer, and in particularly, to get to know Joe Mazzulla: “He’s a funny guy. I can already tell.”
Peterson and teammate JD Davison have spent most of their time with Maine, minus the occasional 24-hour trip to Boston. Jordan Walsh has also shuttled back and forth, but as of late, he’s gotten more extensive time with the parent club.
“Having guys go through the same kind of experience as you definitely helps with the comfort level,” Peterson said. “Not being the new guy anymore is great. The guys know you, you know all the staff, all the trainers, all that stuff down there. Everything gets easier by the day. It’s been just great how welcoming everyone is.”
