Latest news with #HunterSallis
USA Today
18-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sixers' Hunter Sallis talks handling the ball, summer league lessons
LAS VEGAS -- The Philadelphia 76ers are using the summer league as a way to evaluate their youngsters and continue helping them grow at the next level. Undrafted rookie Hunter Sallis is one of those players who needs the necessary court time to develop and prepare for his maiden voyage into the NBA in the 2025-26 season. The Sixers will be looking for Sallis to do a lot of different things on the floor. He will be looking to score and show off what made him a special player at Wake Forest, but when watching these summer league games, there have been times when the ball is in his hands and he has been asked to run the offense from the point guard spot. "I'm definitely confident having the ball in my hands," Sallis said at summer league practice on Monday. "Just making the right play. That's something that they've been preaching all of summer league, especially during our training camp. So just trying to go out there and make a read for myself or others and get the right play." Sallis is averaging 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 3.2 rebounds in his four games thus far in Las Vegas. He has shown off an athletic ability that will help him transition to the league sooner rather than later. He has NBA-level athleticism and is somebody who can put the ball in the basket when he gets on a heater. With one summer league game left on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets, Sallis is looking to continue his NBA education. He revealed the lessons he has learned about the league in the early part of the summer league. "I mean, just knowing like every possession matters," Sallis said. "Especially, in games. Like you see our last game we played, like, that came down to every single possession that mattered. That's what the NBA is all about. So it's just that's really been the biggest thing. You can't take any plays off." Sallis will look to end things on a strong note on Friday before the summer league ends.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 observations after Mintz shines in Sixers' 1st win of 2025 summer
3 observations after Mintz shines in Sixers' 1st win of 2025 summer originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia The Sixers notched their first summer win of 2025 on Tuesday night thanks largely to Judah Mintz. Advertisement They earned a 91-90 victory over the Grizzlies to wrap up their Salt Lake City summer league at 1-2. Mintz starred, tallying 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting, three assists and three steals. Tyler Burton's 23 points led Memphis. The Sixers were without VJ Edgecombe (left thumb contusion), Adem Bona (rest) and Alex Reese (Achilles soreness). The team's first game in the Las Vegas summer league is scheduled for Thursday night vs. the Spurs. Here are observations on the Sixers' win Tuesday: Big-time Sallis slam Jalen Slawson provided an early highlight with a pump fake, drive and slam. Hunter Sallis hammered in a huge dunk late in the first quarter, too. He sliced through the lane and jammed in a one-handed flush over 6-foot-10 Ante Brzovic. Sallis maintained his momentum with a nice stretch in the second quarter that included a wing three-pointer. As his college credentials indicate — 18.3 points per game last year at Wake Forest — Sallis is a multi-dimensional scorer. He recorded 11 points vs. the Grizzlies on 4-for-9 shooting, two assists and two rebounds. Advertisement Outside shooting will be an obvious area to monitor after Sallis shot just 27.7 percent from three-point range as a senior. He said at the Sixers' summer league minicamp last week that he's 'really confident in how I'm shooting the ball right now' and doesn't 'think there's too much to worry about.' Mintz shines The Sixers kept the same starting backcourt of Mintz and Jalen Hood-Schifino (seven points, seven assists). Mintz's shiftiness popped again. He had a tricky and-one leaner during an extended Sixers run in the second period. The 6-foot-3 guard's fakes, footwork and body control enable him to do damage in and around the paint. Mintz is truly excellent at drawing free throws, which helped him post 21.2 points per game last G League regular season for the Delaware Blue Coats. The Syracuse product was among the top players at getting to the foul line in Salt Lake City, going 21 for 23 over the Sixers' three games. Advertisement Sixers sweat out a win Justin Edwards sunk a three on his first shot. The second-year wing had his most efficient game in Utah, scoring 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting. However, Edwards was scoreless in the fourth quarter and Memphis made a comeback surge. Johni Broome (eight points, 12 rebounds) fell to 0 for 5 from three-point range with a late miss that thudded off the backboard. Burton hit a three with a little over a minute remaining to give the Grizzlies an 87-86 lead. Mintz then delivered down the stretch, banking in a tough runner and scoring a clutch and-one layup with 8.2 seconds left. He was easily the best player on the court Tuesday night.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Gonzaga Guard Inks Two-Way Deal with Rebuilding Eastern Conference Team
Former Gonzaga Guard Inks Two-Way Deal with Rebuilding Eastern Conference Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Wake Forest and Gonzaga guard Hunter Sallis was not among the 59 players selected in the 2025 NBA draft, but the 6'5 guard inked a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers shortly after the second round concluded on Thursday. Advertisement The 6'5 guard was considered among the top players not drafted, coming off a pair of strong seasons at Wake Forest in the ACC. After two seasons in a small role at Gonzaga, Sallis hit the transfer portal and joined the Demon Deacons, who are notorious under coach Steve Forbes for helping guards break out. That's exactly what happened for Sallis his first season in Winston-Salem, as he went from averaging 4.5 points in 16.7 minutes per game as a sophomore with the Zags to 18 points and 2.5 assists with Wake Forest, shooting 40.5% from three on over five attempts per game and earning All-ACC First Team honors. Many felt Sallis should have stayed in the draft after that season, but he opted to return for his senior season and while his scoring ticked up a bit - from 18.0 to 18.3 per game - his outside shot plummeted to 27.7% which called into question his ability to shoot long term and hurt his draft stock significantly. Advertisement Sallis is one of very few five-star recruits to commit to Gonzaga, joining the Zags in the 2021 recruiting class out of Millard North high school in Nebraska. He spent two seasons in Spokane, but struggled to carve out playing time in a crowded backcourt that included Andrew Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Rasir Bolton, and Malachi Smith. Sallis ultimately left after after averaging 4.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per game across two seasons, a decision that certainly worked out well for the uber athletic guard who now has a chance to compete for playing time on a rebuilding Philadelphia team led by Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and second-year guard Jared McCain. Related: Former Gonzaga Forward Ben Gregg Inks Deal with Eastern Conference Powerhouse This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
29-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Hunter Sallis on two-way deal with Sixers: ‘They think I'm a steal'
Shortly after the 2025 NBA Draft, 22-year-old Hunter Sallis made news when it was reported that the young guard signed a two-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. On Saturday, after becoming a part of the franchise, the Omaha, Nebraska native caught up with First Alert 6 news and reacted to the his becoming one of the newest members of the franchise. 'They think I'm a steal,' Sallis told First Alert 6. 'They told me like they didn't really have any second-round picks, so they were happy to see that I was available at the end – they think that was a great look for me.' Although Sallis doesn't arrive in Philadelphia with the same type of accolades and fanfare as first-round pick VJ Edgecombe, Daryl Morey and his staff probably hope that the 22-year-old can become a part of the solution in Philadelphia after the Sixers stumbled to a disappointing 24-58 finish last season. And while there are a lot of guards that will likely enter the 2025-26 season ahead of Sallis on the depth chart, if the front office proves correct — and Sallis does come anywhere near fulfilling his mighty potential — then he can potentially become a part of rebuilding a winning culture in Philadelphia and having the Sixers emerge as contenders in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
76ers Sign Former McDonald's All-American After NBA Draft
76ers Sign Former McDonald's All-American After NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia 76ers used the No. 3 pick to select Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, then selected Auburn center Johni Broome at No. 35 in the second round. Advertisement They seemed set, firmly building around their veteran core and rising young guard Tyrese Maxey. Along similar lines, they made news again on Thursday. Shortly after the second round closed, the Sixers moved fast. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, 'Wake Forest's Hunter Sallis has agreed to a two‑way NBA contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.' A former McDonald's All‑American, Sallis began at Gonzaga with a limited role over two seasons before transferring to Wake Forest. There, he earned First‑Team All‑ACC honors twice (2024, 2025) and averaged approximately 18 points per game both seasons. Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images His junior year boasted an efficient 40% three‑point shooting, but it dipped to 27.7% in his final season, likely contributing to his undrafted status. Advertisement Still, Sallis brought elite athleticism, a 6‑foot‑5 frame, 6‑10 wingspan, plus solid mid‑range scoring and finishing at the rim. The two‑way deal gives Sallis a chance in both the NBA and the G‑League. He'll join Alex Reese on two‑way duties as Philadelphia boosts its guard depth. Summer League will be his proving ground. For the Sixers, this move reflects Philadelphia's president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey's track record of identifying undrafted talent. If Sallis can recover his deep shooting and maintain his scoring aggressiveness, he offers upside as a secondary ball‑handler and perimeter scorer. As John Fanta of Fox Sports noted, it's 'a very good undrafted pickup.' Advertisement All eyes move to training camp and the Summer League. If Sallis shows improved three‑point consistency and court awareness, he may earn a full roster spot. Related: WNBA Player Loses Tooth After Taking Brutal Elbow This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
