SAM HAUSER AKA THE HUMAN TORCH: CELTICS’ DEAD-EYE SHOOTER IGNITES FROM DEEP AND BURNS BRIGHTER WITH EVERY BIG MOMENT ON COURT
There’s a point in every NBA game when the crowd goes from watching to waiting. Waiting for that one shot to fall. Waiting for the eruption. Waiting for that spark that changes the momentum entirely. For the Boston Celtics, more and more, that moment belongs to Sam Hauser—the unassuming, undeterred sharpshooter who’s become one of the most lethal perimeter weapons in the NBA. They call him “The Human Torch,” and for good reason: when he catches fire, it spreads like wildfire.
Hauser doesn’t shout. He doesn’t dance after threes. He rarely makes headlines or dominates highlight reels. But what he does do is punish defenses with a mechanical consistency that coaches dream of and defenders dread. His jumper is pure, his footwork flawless, and his confidence quietly growing into something undeniable. In a league where shooting is currency, Hauser’s value is skyrocketing.
It wasn’t always this way.
Sam Hauser wasn’t a lottery pick. He wasn’t even drafted. Coming out of college, he had the résumé of a reliable floor spacer but lacked the athleticism or flashy profile scouts tend to fall in love with. A transfer from Marquette to Virginia, he played the game the right way—smart, slow, efficient, and always under control. But in a draft obsessed with upside and vertical pop, Hauser slipped through the cracks.
Boston saw what others didn’t.
Or maybe they just appreciated the simplicity of his greatness. After signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2021, the Celtics gave Hauser room to develop. He spent time in Maine with the G-League affiliate, sharpened his reads in practice, and observed the nuances of NBA movement and spacing. By the 2022-23 season, he’d already worked his way into a rotation role. By 2023-24, he was torching second units on a nightly basis.
Now, in 2025, Sam Hauser isn’t just a bench piece—he’s a weapon. A specialist. A playoff asset. The kind of player every contender needs and only the smartest ones seem to find.
What makes Hauser so dangerous isn’t just his shooting—it’s his movement. He never stands still. Like the shooters who came before him—Ray Allen, Kyle Korver, JJ Redick—Hauser understands that three-point shooting in the modern game is as much about relocation, timing, and reading screens as it is about raw mechanics. He sprints into corners, fades off screens, cuts backdoor, and loops around bigs with purpose. His chemistry with Boston’s ballhandlers is pristine.
And when he’s set, forget it.
In catch-and-shoot situations, Hauser is near the top of the league in efficiency. His release is compact and repeatable. His balance never breaks. Even under heavy closeouts, his poise remains. It’s no wonder Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla frequently designs sets specifically to free him up in transition or off staggered screens. Hauser doesn’t just shoot to score—he shoots to shift momentum.
Teammates rave about his professionalism. Jayson Tatum has called him “one of the best shooters I’ve ever played with.” Jaylen Brown has noted his work ethic. Al Horford, the locker room sage, simply nods when asked about Hauser’s emergence: “He puts in the work. That’s what you see.”
But it goes deeper than work. It’s about trust.
The Celtics trust Sam Hauser. Not just to hit threes—but to play within the system. To defend his position. To make the right pass. To stay ready. It’s easy to look at him and think “shooter only,” but Hauser has quietly improved every aspect of his game. His defense—once a concern—has become steady. He slides his feet, contests shots without fouling, and uses his size (6’8”) to challenge shots at the perimeter. He’s never going to be an elite stopper, but he’s no longer a liability. He knows where to be, and in Boston’s rotating, help-heavy scheme, that’s often all you need.
What sets Hauser apart, especially in big games, is his timing.
He has a knack for hitting shots at the exact moment Boston needs them. Down six early in the fourth? Hauser hits a corner three. Struggling offense in the second quarter? He drills back-to-back transition bombs to reset the tone. In the playoffs, he’s done it time and time again—punishing defenses that sag off him to help on Tatum or Brown.
You leave Hauser open, and you pay. Every time.
“The Human Torch” nickname didn’t come out of nowhere. Celtics fans started whispering it during a particularly hot stretch in early 2024 when Hauser hit 19 threes over four games, including a 7-for-10 night against Miami. Then, it stuck. Every time he checked in, the building buzzed with anticipation. TD Garden fans knew what was coming. And when he’d rise up, hands high, feet squared—it was almost unfair.
His confidence, once cautious, now flares with every make.
But Hauser isn’t just lighting it up on offense. He’s also become a vocal presence in film rooms and practice. Younger players look to him as an example of how to stay prepared. Veterans respect how he never complains about minutes or touches. He just does his job, lights it up, and walks calmly back on defense.
That’s the thing about fire—it doesn’t ask for attention. It just burns.
Hauser’s journey—undrafted to undeniable—isn’t just inspiring; it’s symbolic. In an era where flashy plays and highlight dunks dominate attention, he’s a reminder that excellence can be quiet. That you don’t need to jump out of the gym to impact the game. That spacing, shooting, timing, and intelligence are just as valuable as verticality and isolation buckets.
The Celtics front office, always attuned to value, has already locked Hauser into a team-friendly deal, and it’s widely considered one of the best bargains in the NBA. As other teams scramble to find shooting, Boston simply unleashes Hauser. And more often than not, the game shifts in their favor.
Opposing teams try to prepare. They chase him through screens, switch, hedge, fight over the top. But Hauser keeps running. Keeps moving. Keeps shooting. And eventually, he’ll get his look.
Then he’ll burn you.
It’s also worth mentioning how beloved he is in the city. Boston fans know basketball. They respect hustle and craft. Hauser, who never seeks the spotlight but always earns it, fits perfectly. Kids wear his jersey. Broadcasters marvel at his percentages. And even in a city full of stars, Hauser is making a name for himself the old-fashioned way—earning it.
Looking ahead, his role will only grow.
The Celtics’ championship window remains wide open, and with veterans like Al Horford aging and other rotation pieces evolving, Hauser’s consistency becomes even more valuable. He gives Boston flexibility—able to play with the starters or the second unit. He spaces the floor for Tatum and Brown. He takes pressure off the guards. And in the biggest moments, he brings something even more powerful than points.
He brings belief.
Every time Hauser checks in, every time he hits that first three, it sends a signal—not just to his team but to the arena, to the opponent, to the league:
The Torch is lit.
And once it’s lit, it doesn’t go out.
Sam Hauser may not be the most famous Celtic. He may never make an All-Star team or sign a shoe deal. But his impact is undeniable. In a league of stars, he’s a specialist. In a game of chaos, he brings clarity. In a city built on banners, he’s building a legacy one three-pointer at a time.
So keep watching. Keep waiting.
Because The Human Torch is just getting started.
And when he gets hot, there’s nothing—absolutely nothing—you can do to stop him.
