USC Basketball: Ex-Trojan Could Make Standard NBA Roster After Strong Summer League

A USC alum is thriving at the next level!

Former USC swingman Drew Peterson, who inked an Exhibit 10 training camp deal with the Miami Heat after going undrafted this summer, has performed well enough to potentially even skip a two-way contract and earn a spot on the standard 15-man roster of the reigning Eastern Conference champs, writes Donovan James of USA Today.

“I’m here to fill any role, whether it’s shooting, passing, rebounding, defending. I’m your guy and I’m ready to be plugged in wherever. Where the league is headed with positionless basketball, I think I’m perfectly suited for that,” Peterson is quoted as saying of his new pro opportunity by James.

Peterson, a 6'8" guard hailing originally from Libertyville, Illinois, spent his first two collegiate seasons at Rice University, from 2018-20, before transferring to USC for the final three years of his NCAA career. Keep in mind, players whose college careers were impacted by the start of the COVID-19 pandemic enjoyed a bonus season of eligibility.

He was named a two-time All-Pac-12 First Teamer during his final two seasons with the Trojans. In 2022-23, Peterson averaged a career-best 13.9 points on .442/.358/.752 shooting splits, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks a contest, across 35.9 minutes per.

As the Heat gear up for a blockbuster Damian Lillard trade, the team may need to fill out its roster with young pieces on minimum contracts, per James. Peterson could be an excellent fit on a flyer.