Drew Peterson understands that if he needs to develop into an impactful rotation participant in Boston, the trail ahead has already been paved.
That’s as a result of he’s not the primary undrafted Celtic sharpshooter to move to Maine lately. Simply two years in the past, it was Sam Hauser who was enjoying high-level basketball as a G-Leaguer, hoping to sooner or later earn a totally assured contract and actual minutes in Boston.
That day got here fairly quick, and now Hauser is among the simplest bench gamers within the league — the proprietor of the third highest +/- amongst all bench gamers, and a 41.2% three-point shooter.
The parallels between Sam Hauser and Drew Peterson are plain – each have been undrafted out of faculty after illustrious and prolonged careers, each are sharpshooters with picture-perfect releases, and each are deceptively efficient defensively, thriving as all-around gamers.
Hauser is 6’7, and averaged 16 factors per sport as a fifth-year senior in Virginia whereas taking pictures 41.7% from past the arc. Peterson is a bit taller – at the moment listed at 6’9 – and averaged 13.9 factors per sport in his fifth collegiate season as USC. In his two seasons for Southern California, he shot 38.4% from downtown, and that quantity has elevated throughout his G-League tenure.
In December, Joe Mazzulla stated he favored Hauser as a mannequin for Peterson: “You check out Sam and what he’s completed – the extra instances you possibly can put your guys into a particular position of what they’ll develop into over time, and also you see it work into fruition, it’s sort of a formulation that you’ve got and might develop.”
Peterson is rigorously observing what position gamers like Hauser have completed with a purpose to efficiently break via and develop into impactful gamers within the league.
“I’m simply seeing how one can be part of the system in the long run, what it takes to play at that degree, watching guys like Sam, Payton [Pritchard] excel at their roles that they’re so good at, that has made them such a vital a part of the crew,” Peterson instructed CelticsBlog in an unique interview. “It’s one thing that I’m on the lookout for, that I’m actually finding out.”
Hauser spent a lot of the 2021-22 season with Maine, averaging 20.2 factors per sport and taking pictures 40.7% from downtown. Most of the employees that have been round for Hauser’s tenure are nonetheless round, so Peterson has made positive to lean on them for extra data on how Hauser discovered to maneuver with out the ball and develop into extra versatile as a defender.
“I’m speaking to employees right here about it, I’m watching clips,” Peterson stated. “I watched some clips of his protection when he was right here, how one can make an impression in many alternative methods, even with out the ball. It’s one thing the place there’s a transparent framework, and an understanding of what you are able to do to get to that degree, and get to be making a job and an impression. It’s positively one thing I’m daily, and am attempting to have the ability to maximize.”
Whereas he works towards the long-term aim, Peterson is having fun with life as a two-way participant.
Earlier this month, Drew Peterson made the journey to Boston to look at the Celtics win in opposition to the Wizards from the sidelines, and whereas he didn’t see the courtroom – the Celtics by no means received an prolonged lead – he nonetheless considered the possibility to spend time with teammates and expertise a sport in-person as invaluable.
Celtics two-way gamers JD Davison and Drew Peterson are at TD Backyard.
Davison had 38 factors, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds final evening. Has simply been excellent this yr. pic.twitter.com/N8cW7Q7JvK
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) February 9, 2024
The subsequent morning, he was again in Maine to face off in opposition to the Indiana Mad Ants in a G-League duel. He’s thrived in Maine – averaging 16.4 factors per sport on 49.2% taking pictures – and two months after signing with Boston, he’s all settled in.
Peterson has his automotive with him in Maine, so he was in a position to drive himself to TD Backyard when he received the decision he’d be becoming a member of the crew for a daily season sport. The drive to Portland tends to be fairly easy, however the one again to Boston could be complicated for first-timers.
“I made a decision to drive simply to expertise the primary drive, the back-and-forth. It’s not too dangerous of a visit,” Peterson stated. “On the way in which to the sport, I missed an exit and I received sort of frightened, so I’m getting used to driving round Boston.”
Peterson doesn’t thoughts the back-and-forth. The G-League is full of business journey and prolonged stays in numerous cities – this week, for instance, the Maine Celtics have been in Birmingham, Alabama for a back-to-back.
“It’s cool getting to essentially be round every part,” Peterson stated. “I’ve solely been there [TD Garden] a number of instances, however attending to be across the guys and seeing how a typical day goes, particularly on sport days. It’s actually cool attending to expertise that, and simply seeing how one can be part of the system in the long run.”
Peterson is greater than only a shooter — his 42.2% three-point share stands out, however he’s additionally grabbed 6.8 rebounds and dished out 5.3 assists per sport as a Maine Celtic.
He beforehand instructed CelticsBlog his on-court inspiration is Derrick White, which Maine Celtics head coach Blaine Mueller stated was a welcome position mannequin.
Throughout his time in Boston, he’s been struck by how shut the locker room was: “You’ll be able to inform the chemistry on and off the courtroom — it’s via the roof.”
He stated that Al Horford and Payton Pritchard make a very noticeable effort to incorporate him and the remainder of the brand new guys in dialog.
“They’re so good at getting everyone concerned,” Peterson stated. With Jaden Springer and Xavier Tillman Sr. on the crew, Peterson is not the most recent man on the town. In flip, he’s grown much more comfy when he does get despatched to Boston for a brief stint.
This yr, Peterson joined mid-season, so he missed coaching camp and offseason exercises. He seems to be ahead to the chance to additional immerse himself in Celtics tradition this summer time, and in notably, to get to know Joe Mazzulla: “He’s a humorous man. I can already inform.”
Peterson and teammate JD Davison have spent most of their time with Maine, minus the occasional 24-hour journey to Boston. Jordan Walsh has additionally shuttled backwards and forwards, however as of late, he’s gotten extra in depth time with the father or mother membership.
“Having guys undergo the identical sort of expertise as you positively helps with the consolation degree,” Peterson stated. “Not being the brand new man anymore is nice. The blokes know you, you understand all of the employees, all of the trainers, all that stuff down there. Every thing will get simpler by the day. It’s been simply nice how welcoming everyone seems to be.”
