FAYETTEVILLE — Jeff Peterson, who played for the Arkansas men's basketball team from 2009-11, is expected to become the Charlotte Hornets' next head of basketball operations, according to a report Thursday by ESPN.
Peterson, 35, has spent the past decade in multiple roles with three NBA franchises. He has taken what has been considered a “meteoric rise” in the industry to become one of the Hornets’ top executives.
Peterson has worked as assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets since 2019.
Following his two-year career at Arkansas, which included a redshirt season in 2009-10 after he transferred from Iowa, Peterson transferred to Florida State for his final season. After his college career ended in 2012, he began a six-year stint working for the Atlanta Hawks.
Peterson began as a scout for the Hawks in 2013-14 and was promoted after one season to basketball operations coordinator. He then was elevated to director of scouting in 2015-16 before another promotion to assistant general manager from 2016-19.
He left the Hawks to join the Nets, where he helped sign NBA superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving through free agency.
Peterson, who is from Springfield, Mo., spent both seasons at Arkansas under former Coach John Pelphrey. During his redshirt-junior season in 2010-11, which was Pelphrey’s last season at Arkansas, Peterson started 23 games and averaged 6.3 points and 2.4 assists.