" 'Mont is there for us no matter what," said Jardine, a Neumann-Goretti product who is a sophomore point guard for the Orange.
"He's really a person that cares for us, besides basketball. He reaches out to kids and tries to help kids. And there are not a lot of people who are really like that."
A native of Germantown, Peterson shares a townhouse with Evans in Sacramento, Calif., and is always close by when the Kings are not on the road.
Peterson, who serves as the players' operations manager, is in charge of everything from setting body-maintenance appointments to coordinating official appearances to paying bills to serving as an unofficial bodyguard.
"He's definitely been a help to me," Evans said of Peterson. "If I need anything, he's able to get it."
Whether in phone conversations or text messages, Peterson communicates at least twice a week with the players he mentors.
He said those exchanges usually range from on-court performances, to ways to maximize exposure, to succeeding academically.
"With those guys [in school], I have to make sure that they are up to par academically," he said. "It's more than basketball. It's about life."
And when the Kings are on road trips, Peterson is back in the Philadelphia area working out players. When asked, he even accompanies his highly touted high school players to on-campus college visits.
"My business is to see that these kids can go to college," Peterson said. "That's my goal. For every kid, since they can run fast, dribble a ball or dunk, I want them to get a chance to go to college and take advantage of their gift. That's all it's about."
Amira Hamid, who's the aunt and legal guardian for Christmas, vouches for him.
