Former Wisconsin high school basketball standout Sam Hauser captured his first career NBA championship with the Boston Celtics on Monday.
Despite not playing for the Badgers during his collegiate tenure, Hauser entered the NCAA scene as a decorated three-sport athlete at Stevens Point Area Senior High in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
In addition to golf and football, Hauser shined on the hardwood. During his junior season at Stevens Point, Hauser averaged 18 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while leading the state with a 50.6% clip from three-point range. He would ultimately captain his squad to a 27-1 mark and a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I state championship.
The Wisconsin native would lead the Panthers to another title during his senior season after earning Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and sharing Wisconsin Mr. Basketball nods with a teammate.
2x WIAA State Champ ➡️ NBA Champion 🏆
Sam Hauser was a three-sport athlete at Stevens Point Area Senior High, where he won two Basketball State Titles, qualified for State Golf twice & participated in football! Last night, he became an NBA Champion with the @celtics! #wiaabb pic.twitter.com/oz8XVSpBft
— WIAA (@wiaawi) June 18, 2024
After high school, the 6-foot-8 forward played three seasons with Maquette and was a member of the 2018-19 All-Big East team as a junior. He transferred to Virginia for his final collegiate seasons and averaged a career-best 16 points per appearance in 2020-21.
Hauser went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft before inking a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics later that summer. Since then, the 26-year-old has established himself as one of Boston’s most important bench pieces. He scored 41 total points in five NBA Finals appearances en route to the Celtics’ 18th championship in franchise history.