Hunter Sallis (USA Basketball Photo)
Hunter Sallis didn’t surprise anyone when he had Kentucky on his list of final 12 schools he announced recently. The 6-5 combo guard is a five-star player ranked in the top 20 of the 2021 recruiting class in every rating I’ve seen and a player who continues to get better and better.
He also listed Kansas, Oregon, North Carolina, UCLA, Alabama, Gonzaga, Auburn, Creighton, Louisville, Michigan and Creighton in his final 12.
Sallis plays at Millard North High School in Nebraska. He certainly has basketball genes as his cousin is NBA superstar James Harden. His mother, Jessica Haynes Jackson, led Omaha (Neb.) Central to a 50-0 record and two state championships in the 1980’s. She also played in two U.S. Olympic festivals and averaged 16.2 points and 12. 1 rebounds per game her final season at San Diego State. Her WNBA career was stopped by a torn groin muscle in her first season.
His high school coach, Tim Cannon, believes Sallis is “very interested” in Kentucky but also has obvious interest in other schools.
“Talking to his dad I believe he wanted to commit in November but that is really up in the air now and he may play this season before he decides (on a college),” Cannon said. “With COVID and recruiting restrictions you can’t tell who will be there next year (at a school). You won’t know what rosters might look like. So I think he’s more likely to let the process play out longer than he originally expected.”
