By Jacob Heid 

BOSTON — After a run to the NBA Finals this past season, the Boston Celtics see a young Sam Hauser as a key to the franchise’s future. The 6-7 forward has signed a three-year, $6 million contract extension with the team. The first two years are fully guaranteed. Hauser began the 2021-22 season on a two-way contract with the Celtics.

Wisconsin has been a hot spot lately for young talent entering the NBA. If you have seen the emergence of players like Tyler Herro, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jordan Poole, you will understand what that means. Hauser has taken a little longer than these players to make an impact but has finally made a lasting impression on the Celtics’ front office. He has been back and forth on the NBA level and Boston’s G-League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.

Hauser played in 26 regular season NBA games, averaging 2.5 PPG, having a season-high 11 points versus his home state team, Milwaukee Bucks, back in April. When he isn’t in Boston, the 24-year-old plays in the G-League. He played in 13 games, tearing it up, averaging 20.2 PPG, and shooting nearly 41% from deep.

Before the NBA, he played at Marquette and Virginia in his five-year college career. Before that, Hauser attended SPASH, winning two state championships in his junior and senior seasons. He was also awarded Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year in 2016 and co-Wisconsin Mr. Basketball with SPASH all-time leading scorer Trevor Anderson. The ex-SPASH basketball star will have his time to prove why he is where he is today.