Education
Saint Louis Park High School.
basketball coach basketball player
Saint Louis Park High School.
He played as either a power forward or a center. High school / College
Petersen, a Saint Louis Park native, played high school basketball at Saint Louis Park High School, being named Minnesota"s Mr. Basketball in 1980, as well as being the first McDonalds All-American from the state of Minnesota.
National Basketball Association
Petersen was selected by the Houston Rockets in the third round (51st overall) of the 1984 National Basketball Association Draft, alongside Hakeem Olajuwon.
In the following four seasons, he played with the Texas club, backing up both Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, who were known as the Twin Towers. In reference to his very light complexion, Petersen was affectionately known as "The Ivory Tower" during his time in Houston.
Petersen played in 20 post-season games (averaging six points and six rebounds) as the team reached the National Basketball Association Finals, losing 2–4 to the Boston Celtics. He retired in 1992 at the age of 30, after one season with the Sacramento Kings and three with the Golden State Warriors, with totals of 491 games and 3,397 points.
After leaving the National Basketball Association, Petersen worked for the National Basketball Players Association in their player programs division, facilitating seminars in National Basketball Association locker rooms in topics such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, financial planning, substance abuse and career planning for life after basketball.
He also coached junior high, high school and Amateur Athletic Union basketball teams in Louisiana Jolla, California and Minneapolis. He has worked as a television analyst with the Minnesota Timberwolves since 2003. In November 2008, Petersen was named assistant coach of the Women's National Basketball Association"s Minnesota Lynx, a position he still holds.