UNC Basketball: Hunter Sallis trims list to 12 schools

5-star UNC basketball target Hunter Sallis has cut his list of schools in half.

Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels are one step closer to a possible union with one of the nation’s top back court prospects.

Class of 2021 combo guard Hunter Sallis announced his list of 12 finalists on Sunday evening, naming North Carolina among a star-studded group of programs that includes Alabama, Auburn, Creighton, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Oregon and UCLA.

That North Carolina made it through Sallis’ first round of cuts was no surprise, what with all of the work that Williams and his staff have put in over the past several months. The same can be said for Kentucky, despite the fact that John Calipari and the Wildcats didn’t officially offer Sallis a scholarship until two days ago. Neither Creighton nor Kansas were shocking additions to Sallis’ list of finalists, either. Both have been considered strong contenders for quite some time now, for reasons of geography and familiarity, if nothing else.

Sallis, a 6-foot-4, 165-pound senior at Millard North High School in Omaha, Nebraska, is a quick, shifty, athletic guard with nice ball-handling skills and an excellent 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 finish above the rim with ease. He can score at all three levels, rebounds exceptionally well for his position and plays pesky, tenacious defense.

Sallis is ranked 19th overall in the 2021 class according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s second among players at his position, and No. 1 in the state of Nebraska.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Hunter Sallis recruitment, and everything UNC basketball.