Five-star point guard Hunter Sallis put a bow on his recruitment Friday morning, when the Omaha-based star announced his intention to sign with Gonzaga during a small ceremony at Millard North High School, which he recently led to a Nebraska state title. Sallis chose the Bulldogs over powers such as North Carolina, Kentucky as well as hometown Creighton. Below, Rivals.com examines what the Zags are getting and takes a look at what it means for the big picture.
*****
WHAT GONZAGA IS GETTING
A versatile guard that can play either spot, Sallis will likely run the point in Spokane because of his advanced playmaking skills. The 6-foot-5 Omaha product has improved exponentially over the last two years and seems to continue to get better. He’s a good-enough athlete but his playmaking, court vision and skill are what set him apart. He can take over a game as a distributor or a scorer and has high-level iupsie on the defensive end where he can utilize his length. He’s a prospect that should be able to start right away in Spokane, and will likely realize his pro upside as he adds strength.
*****
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BIG PICTURE
Everyone is already used to the Zags on the national stage, but rest assured Mark Few’s program isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Most see the Bulldogs as the leader for No. 1 overall prospect Chet Holmgren and adding him to a class now led by Sallis, a versatile playmaker with good size, could add up to yet another special run in Spokane. Few has been recruiting well for years now, but the program now seems to have reached truly elite heights in the recruiting trail, which is bonkers when you consider where it was a decade ago. This cycle seems to have been the coronation of Gonzaga as a truly elite national recruiting force capable of stealing highly ranked players from schools like North Carolina, Duke and Kentucky with some regularity.
COACH’S CORNER:
"He's a great driver to the basket, just very agile and athletic. He used to go through people. Then he got to where he went over them jumping and dunking over people. I think where he has improved a lot this year is his pull-up jumper has been really good. Now he's hitting pull-up three pointers, and three-pointers off the catch. So that helps a lot. He really improved his rebounding and his passing with his assists also." -- Sallis’s high school coach Tim Cannon to Rivals.com’s David Sisk.