Sam Hauser Chose Celtics Over 2 Contenders in 2024
The Boston Celtics discovered a hidden gem when they initially brought in Sam Hauser in 2021. Despite being undrafted, Hauser had his pick of NBA teams to start his career with, ultimately selecting the Celtics after drawing interest from other franchises.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, Hauser had two other options aside from the Celtics. “The Celtics and Timberwolves were offering contracts, and the Heat wanted Hauser to join their summer league team, where he could compete for a deal,” Himmelsbach reported in an article dated April 18.
Himmelsbach provided further insights into the offers from both teams. “The Timberwolves offered a two-way contract, and the Heat wanted Hauser to compete for a two-way deal at summer league. Zarren said the Celtics had ‘a good inkling’ that the Heat were lurking, and given their reputation, they were viewed as a threat.”
Hauser himself explained why the Miami Heat were appealing to him as a player. “I saw what Duncan [Robinson] had done and Max Strus had done [with the Heat],” Hauser told Himmelsbach. “Obviously, they have a good culture for producing guys like that.”
Despite the allure of the Heat, Hauser ultimately chose the Celtics. He initially signed a two-way contract in 2021, which was later converted into a standard contract midway through the 2022 season. Subsequently, the Celtics inked Hauser to a three-year deal in the ensuing offseason, with a team option for the 2024-25 season, likely to be exercised by Boston.
Himmelsbach’s article revealed that Brad Stevens’ reputation played a significant role in Hauser’s decision to join the Celtics. “Hauser and his parents went over a brief pros-and-cons list, and with the Celtics, they kept coming back to Stevens,” Himmelsbach wrote. “They were fellow Midwesterners and admired the way Stevens built a program at Butler, leading the Bulldogs to two NCAA title-game appearances before becoming Celtics coach in 2013.”
Hauser’s mother, Stephanie, shared why they held Stevens in such high regard. “He just had the old-school, down-home way, and we just liked how he goes about things,” Stephanie said. “He’s very personable, and everything about him was very trustworthy. So the fact that he saw things in Sam had a lot of value to us.”
Since joining the Celtics, Hauser has developed into a reliable rotation player.
