UNC Basketball: Tar Heels in the lead for 5-star guard?

Roy Williams and the UNC basketball program have put on a full-court press for 5-star combo guard Hunter Sallis, and it appears to be paying off.

The most competitive Roy Williams-coached teams have boasted tremendous back court presence, so the addition of 5-star point guard Caleb Love to the Tar Heels’ 2020-21 squad was a welcomed sight for North Carolina fans everywhere.

Given the kind of skill and athletic ability that Love possesses, though, it’s uncertain whether or not he’ll be in Chapel Hill for more than one season. It’s not difficult to imagine him choosing the same path as former UNC standouts Coby White and Cole Anthony, who opted to leave campus after solid freshman seasons in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

That’s why Williams and company have put on a full-court press for consensus top-25 prospect Hunter Sallis, a rising combo guard in the class of 2021. A 5-star recruit according to the 247Sports Composite, Sallis is a 6-foot-3, 165-pound senior at Millard North High School in Omaha, Nebraska, and one of the top back court prospects in his class. Currently ranked 19th among players in the 2021 class, Sallis is the No. 2 combo guard in the nation, and the top recruit in the state of Nebraska.

Sallis is already holding on to 30 scholarship offers from some of the top college basketball programs in the nation. Among them are Auburn, Creighton, Florida, Florida State, Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Memphis, Marquette, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas Tech and UCLA. And since Sallis is yet to release a list of finalists, the offers will likely continue to flow in.

Rivals recruiting analyst Eric Bossi has his thoughts on the main contenders for Sallis’ commitment, and talked about them in a piece published on Wednesday morning. Leading the group of six teams that Bossi likes most in the Sallis recruitment is North Carolina, who may have a leg up on the competition despite having terrific back court talent already committed to UNC in 2020.

"“There has been some behind-the-scenes speculation that North Carolina is a bit of dream school for Sallis, and word has it that Roy Williams made a big impression on him when he offered a scholarship,” Bossi writes. “Current five-star freshman Caleb Love is a potential one-and-done player, but even if Love sticks around, the Heels need more ball-handlers, and Williams’ best teams through the years have featured interchangeable backcourt parts.”"

Sallis is a shifty, athletic guard with good ball-handling skills and a nice crossover. He’s got a quick first step, and gets to the goal with speed and efficiency. He drives the lane well in traffic and through contact, and can easily finish above the rim. He scores at all three levels, rebounds well for his position and plays pesky, tenacious defense.

All of those traits make him a prime target for each of his two-dozen-plus suitors, and a no-brainer for a program that plays as fast and relies as heavily on good guard play as the Tar Heels. There’s no real indication at this point when Sallis plans to cut down his list, or make a final decision. It seems safe to assume, however, that North Carolina will likely be around until this recruitment reaches its completion.

For all the latest on the Hunter Sallis recruitment and everything on the UNC basketball program, check back with Keeping It Heel.