Jim Petersen

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James Richard "Jim" Petersen (born February 22, 1962 in Minneapolis, Minnesota), is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 3rd round (51st overall) of the 1984 NBA Draft. A 6'10" forward-center from St. Louis Park High School and the University of Minnesota, Petersen played in 8 NBA seasons for 3 different teams. He played for the Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. With the Rockets, Petersen shared the frontcourt with All-stars Akeem 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.

In his NBA career, Petersen played in 491 games and scored a total of 3,397 points. His best year as a professional came during the 1986-87 NBA season as a member of the Rockets, appearing in 82 games (56 starts) and averaging 11.3 ppg.

Petersen is currently a television analyst for the Minnesota Timberwolves.