The 2023 NBA draft came and went without a USC Trojan player getting selected. Surely that will change next year, with Boogie Ellis and Bronny James likely going pro. However, Drew Peterson did get a deal shortly after the conclusion of the draft.
Peterson inked an Exhibit 10 deal with the Miami Heat, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Surprisingly enough, this ends a five-year streak of Trojan players getting selected. However, that streak was snapped only because Boogie Ellis came back for another season with the Men of Troy.
Peterson should have a significant chance to at least catch on with the G League team for the reigning Eastern Conference champions. In his final season in Los Angeles, he averaged 13.9 PPG with 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists and was the second-leading scorer for USC behind Ellis.
Against Cal, he dropped a season-high 30 points with seven rebounds and six assists. His 6-foot-9 frame is certainly appealing for NBA teams, especially with the way the game has changed now.
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, an Exhibit 10 deal is a one-year minimum deal that allows the NBA team to convert it to a two-way contract, thus allowing the player to go between the pro team and the G League team.
USC forward Drew Peterson has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Miami Heat, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2023
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