Sam Hauser Defends Celtics Rookie Following Preseason Woes

Baylor Scheierman was a standout 3-point shooter throughout a five-year collegiate career before the Boston Celtics selected the Creighton product 30th overall in the first round of this year’s NBA draft. But so far, it hasn’t panned out.

Granted, it’s still (very) early to jump the gun on Scheierman. The 24-year-old shot an atrocious 17.6% from three — on 3.4 attempts — while averaging three points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists through five preseason appearances (11.6 minutes per game). If anyone can relate to ascending from the ground up as an outside shooting specialist it’s teammate Sam Hauser, who isn’t at all concerned with Scheierman’s preseason output.

“For Baylor, it’s just like those five games are his first NBA experience,” Hauser told reporters at Friday’s team practice, per CLNS Media. “It’s hard to really have expectations on anybody in that situation and that’s a tough spot to be in. I’m sure for himself he has high expectations and I try to remember my first preseason. I don’t think I played all that well. So I keep trying to tell him just keep staying aggressive, keep shooting and I’ve been helping him out whenever he has questions and things like that. But he’s a great player, he’s gonna do well and I’m excited to see what he can bring to the table this year.”

When Scheierman took the floor for Summer League action in Las Vegas, the Celtics watched a different version of the lefty snipper who became the first player in NCAA history to have 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 300 threes in his career. Scheierman, looking significantly more comfortable, averaged 11.2 points and shot 29.4% from three and 36.2% from the field in five games in Las Vegas. The shooting splits were modest and left room for improvement, but the engagement, intensity and overall feel for the role were all (visibly) in place.

Scheierman even dove into the stands for a loose ball against the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter on a night where he shot just 1-of-7 from the field.

Boston’s fortunate enough to have a roster stacked with depth, giving Scheierman enough time to develop with patience in the organzaiton’s G League affiliate, a route Hauser — and many others before Scheierman — are plenty familiar with. Hauser, who went undrafted three years ago and signed a $45 million extension with the Celtics this offseason, is more than willing to assist Scheierman and others this upcoming season.

“I’m open ears. I’m here to listen. I’m here to help whenever (the rookies) need it,” Hauser explained, per CLNS Media. “… It doesn’t always happen right away for a lot of players, even the first-round draft picks. Sometimes you have to serve your time in the G League or behind the scenes working really hard and just wait for your turn. That’s kind of what I had to do.”

Celtics president of operations Brad Stevens emphasized that the organization would only be making a selection if the prospect was deemed a fit for the team’s future. Presumably, Scheierman fit that mold, therefore, as Boston chases down its second straight title, Scheierman can work on getting acclimated as a first-year professional. And judging from the way Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla utilized nearly everyone, it might not be too long until Scheierman receives the call to action in Boston.