Yes. NBA prospect Hunter Sallis is related to LA Clippers star James Harden. Sallis’ mother is Jessica Haynes, a former standout at Omaha Central High School and San Diego State. Jessica’s cousins include James Harden Sr., father of James Harden.
This makes Sallis and Harden second cousins. Their parents are first cousins. This can be confirmed by an article in Sports Illustrated in early August 2020, where it mentions:
“Sallis’ cousin is NBA superstar James Harden.”
Sallis’ mother Jessica averaged 16.2 points and 12.1 rebounds in final season with San Diego State. Utah Starzz signed her in the inaugural season of the WNBA but after three preseason games, she retired following a tear in her groin muscle.
Sallis was born on March 26, 2003, in Omaha, Nebraska. His father was Trevis Sallis and mother Jessica. Sallis is a cousin of former NBA guard Ron Boone as well.
Hunter Sallis’ NBA Draft Projection
Going by most mock draft boards, Hunter Sallis is projected to be picked in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft. He played his senior year for Wake Forest, averaging 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists. He shot 45.7%, including 27.7% from the 3-point line and 80.4% from the charity stripe. He also averaged 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks per game
At the Combine, he was measured having a 6-foot-10 wingspan, 37.5 inches max vertical.
One notable downside that came in his senior year was his 3-point shooting which declined below 30%. That’s why mock drafts from Yahoo and Reuters categorize Sallis as a sleeper/second-round pick.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Detroit Pistons, with the 37th pick, could draft him. RaptorsHQ thinks the Raptors with the 39th pick would bring him home. Some other mock boards project the LA Lakers taking a flier on him with their 55th pick. He is No. 56 on Tankathon’s big board.
All in all, draft boards project him around the 40-60 range.
In Hunter Sallis, prospective NBA teams will receive a player with versatile scoring, length, defense, and athleticism. However, if Sallis wants to have a bright future in the NBA, then he needs to improve his shooting, especially from beyond the arc. With the right coaching, Sallis could develop into a valuable 3-and-D wing.
Another thing that Sallis needs to do in order to stand tall against NBA level defenders will be to add muscle mass. At around 185 pounds, he gets outmuscled at the rim and struggles against screens. Like his cousin, James Harden, Sallis also need to have good field vision and so that he can be part of high-IQ, rotations.
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