The Wisconsin Badgers basketball staff recruited Hunter Sallis as a five-star recruit back in 2021 before he eventually signed with Gonzaga. The talented recruit boasted the second overall combo guard ranking in his class. In two years however, Sallis struggled to find success and consistent playing time with the Bulldogs, and has since entered the transfer portal.
As one of the highest rated recruits out of high school, Sallis will certainly have plenty of teams interested in him. Many of the teams that once recruited Sallis out of high school could consider reaching out once again. The question that remains is whether or not the Wisconsin Badgers will push for someone they once recruited.
Will The Wisconsin Badgers Connect With Guard Hunter Sallis?
After receiving a 99 overall rating from 247 Sports as a high school recruit, the expectations for Sallis were rather high. Likely, the talented guard could have gone to other schools, but Sallis stayed committed to Gonzaga and embraced the grind that coach Mark Few puts in place. The Bulldogs are one of the last remaining programs that emphasize team play and utilize every player on the court. Sallis did not start for the Bulldogs in any of the 69 games he played for the program.
The former standout recruit seems poised to go to a new program that will better suit his playing ability. Trevis Sallis, the father of Hunter Sallis, stated that the “style of play” will be a major deciding factor after entering the transfer portal. The next destination for Sallis will have to fit his three-level scoring ability as well as his tendency to drive hard to the rim. Both father and son have yet to state what schools are getting the most attention from the transfer at this time.
Coast-to-coast for the and-one 💨
Gonzaga vs. UCLA here 👉 https://t.co/Szfm6nE8rF pic.twitter.com/yVehW409Ai
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 24, 2023
Gonzaga runs an incredible offensive system that has been almost entirely built around star center Drew Timme. The Bulldogs took almost 70% of their shots from inside the three-point line and also averaged 86.1 points per game. Sallis finished the year averaging 4.5 points and 1.4 assists in a system that was not built for his play style. Despite not taking many shots, Sallis still shot 46.6% from the field in the chances he did.
Can The Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Team Land A Past Recruiting Interest?
While it has been some time now since the Wisconsin Badgers last spoke to Hunter Sallis, he could certainly end up on their radar once again. The situation is rather vague at this time since Sallis has not indicated what schools he is interested in as he feels it is too early in the process. Sallis will likely take his time to make his decision as he feels out which team will allow him to flourish.
The Badgers will need to search for a replacement for Jordan Davis as he enters his name in the transfer portal. Adding another guard to the roster could be a good move in the long run, especially a long combo guard like Sallis who has a crafty ability to score. Wisconsin formerly recruited Sallis when he was still in high school, so it is possible that there are still some ties. However, it seems likely that the transfer will end up with a team in need of an offensive leader on the court.
For more:
Follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content and @JarrettGuerrera on Twitter. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here! Check out 97.3 The Game on iHeart Radio!
