Just some weeks after signing a four-year, $45 million contract extension, Sam Hauser donned a white Maine Celtics T-shirt at a meet-and-greet on the North Shore Mall.
“It simply jogs my memory type of the place it began right here in Boston,” Hauser stated, gesturing at his shirt with a smile. “Or — I suppose extra in Maine.”
It wasn’t too way back that Hauser was an undrafted free agent making an attempt to determine how you can make it within the NBA. He signed a two-way take care of the Maine Celtics in 2021, hoping that that will function the start of an NBA profession.
For sure, that turned out simply positive.
Three years later, Hauser hit 11 three-pointers in 5 NBA Finals video games en path to the Celtics’ 18th championship, rising out of a short postseason hunch to shoot a scorching-hot 47.8% from three in opposition to the Mavericks.
Simply two months faraway from that storybook end — on a quiet Wednesday night on the Dynasty Sports activities in Peabody — Hauser obtained one other alternative to soak all of it in.
Followers lined as much as get their memorabilia signed by the championship group’s prime sharpshooter, bringing with them a slew of things, together with a miniature Larry O’Brien trophy and a 2024 championship banner.
“How a couple of nineteenth banner, Sam?” stated one man in head-to-toe Celtics gear.
“Thanks for the championship,” stated one other, eagerly shaking Hauser’s hand.
That kind of reverence and appreciation from Boston followers hasn’t gotten previous.
“Actually, I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it,” Hauser stated. “It’s type of loopy, to be sincere, fairly surreal. Simply making an attempt to be grateful, simply profit from it — clearly, you don’t know when alternatives like this are ever going to come back round once more.”
It’s definitely been an thrilling couple of months for Sam Hauser. He loved a storybook ending to his breakout 2024 season, and signed a contract extension with the Celtics just some weeks after the parade.
The long-term deal to maintain him in Boston was removed from a positive factor within the eyes of the general public — Hauser might have change into a free agent subsequent summer season, and with the Celtics payroll quickly growing, it wasn’t clear that he would
Final month in Las Vegas, Celtics assistant coach D.J. MacLeay obtained emotional when requested about Hauser’s extension, saying it crammed him with “immense pleasure.”
Sam Hauser stated he it was cool to have the ability to signal with Boston long-term and that he seems ahead to competing for an additional championship subsequent 12 months:
“Fairly particular that they gave me a possibility when nobody else did, and I simply tried to run with it. They believed in me.” https://t.co/eVVvC5WOSt pic.twitter.com/EEq628ukvX
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) August 14, 2024
Hauser smiled when requested about that second, noting that he noticed the video on Twitter.
“It’s actually cool,” he stated. “I simply performed for the love of the sport, and that is generally simply the good thing about that. Fairly particular that they gave me a possibility early on when no person else did, and I simply tried to run with it. They believed in me, and I’m simply glad I could possibly be right here and be with this group and have one other likelihood to win all of it.”
Hauser’s removed from the one Celtic who obtained their massive payday this summer season. Jayson Tatum signed his 5-year, $314 million supermax extension, whereas Derrick White signed a four-year, $126 million contract extension. Neemias Queta, Luke Kornet, and Xavier Tillman all signed minimal offers to return to Boston, and two-way gamers JD Davison and Drew Peterson signed to new two-ways as properly. The one member from final 12 months’s group that signed with one other group is Svi Mykhailiuk, who just lately signed a 4-year, $15 million contract with the Jazz.
“It’s fairly loopy that we had been in a position to deliver everybody again,” Hauser stated. “All people wished to be again and wished to attempt to do that once more. I’m glad the entrance workplace was in a position to make it work.”
Now, the group’s consideration turns to subsequent season. Hauser stated that about 75% of followers on the meet-and-greet requested him in regards to the pursuit of a championship in 2025.
“I feel all people’s fairly pleased with how all people is staying in Boston,” Hauser stated. “We will compete once more collectively for an additional 12 months. Clearly, we have now quite a bit to construct off of. It’ll be enjoyable.”
