Sam Hauser’s Four-Year Extension Inspiring For Celtics Teammate

Sam Hauser went undrafted three years ago, developed into an effective reserve unit piece, and inked a $45 million extension with the Boston Celtics this offseason.

The 26-year-old became the latest from Boston's championship roster to land a new contract, agreeing to a four-year deal that'll keep Hauser with the Celtics through the 2028-29 season. Yet, the journey from getting rejected on draft night coming out of the University of Virginia in 2021 to growing into one of the most effective 3-point shooting threats in the NBA is an encouraging story to watch unfold, according to teammate Jordan Walsh.

"Now his name's gonna be everywhere in the banners in Maine and everybody's going to see it,'' Walsh told reporters Monday at Summer League, per CLNS Media. "He was a guy who climbed that ladder. It took a while, it was hard, but he did it. He's successful at it, he's a great player and he's valuable to the Celtics, obviously. So I think that shows that anybody with enough time and hard work can accomplish the same thing."

Walsh, albeit selected 38th overall in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, too, has undergone a similar (patient) climb coming out of Arkansas. Boston chose Walsh because of the 6-foot-6 forward's defensive tenacity with the Razorbacks, although the organization kept the 20-year-old with its G League affiliate in Maine for development purposes. There, Walsh played 27 games while averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

Boston built a powerhouse roster last offseason, which led the NBA in wins (64) during the regular season before bulldozing its way to a 16-3 record in the postseason. This left little to no room for Walsh to step in, gain enough rookie experience with the Celtics, and showcase enough to cement a role like Hauser. However, with the team's current payroll getting dicey -- Hauser's contract rose the 2025-26 projected payroll. to $225 million with an additional $210 million luxury tax penalty -- Walsh could soon be called upon.

"I still feel like a rookie almost," Walsh added, per CLNS Media. "I'm still learning. I feel like in this Summer League setting I could take on more of a leadership role because I've seen it, I know what it looks like. But during the season, I'm taking a backseat learning as much as I can from (Boston's current rookies). I'm trying to give out as much knowledge as I can but also take as much as I can."