Sam Hauser details Brad Stevens’ impact on him joining Celtics over Heat

Sam LaFrance | Apr 19, 2024

May 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) drives against the Miami Heat. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Back in 2021, sharpshooting forward Sam Hauser elected not to take his talents to South Beach, but rather up north to Boston and join the Celtics on a two-way contract.

During a recent article from The Boston Globe, Adam Himmelsbach detailed the night where Hauser decided to become a Celtic. 

"When I got off the phone, my dad was like, ‘Well, why don’t you just sleep on it?’" Hauser explained. "And I told him, ‘We’ve got 10 minutes.’"

"So we all just kind of sat down and talked about the options and came to the conclusion that Boston was probably the best spot for me," he added.

Hauser’s family credited Boston’s President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, for swaying him towards dawning the green and white.

“Everything about him was very trustworthy. So the fact that he saw things in Sam had a lot of value to us.”

In the three years since, Hauser has grown to become a key part of Joe Mazzulla’s rotation. In the 2023-24 season, he has averaged a career-high in minutes at 22 per game, points at 9.8 per game, and three-point percentage at 42.4%.

Boston’s No. 30 also inked a longer-term contract in 2022, when he signed on to be a part of the team through 2025. Hauser is has made $1.9 million this season, and will make another $2.1 million next season, when the Cs inevitably pick up the team option on the deal.

Further Reading

Brad Stevens Addresses Potential Extension with Derrick White

After Career Night, Reflective Payton Pritchard Discusses NBA Journey and His Ultimate Pursuit

Jrue Holiday on Celtics Extension: 'Try to Get More Banners, Get More Rings'

Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'