Arizona State Extends Offer to Former Professional Basketball Player
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Arizona State's 2026 recruiting class looks solid, with 18 commits thus far in the cycle. However, the Sun Devils and head coach Kenny Dillingham are still seeking ways to add talent and are willing to look in unconventional places to do so.
The Sun Devils recently offered a former professional basketball player from New Zealand, who has come to the United States to pursue a career in American football.
What Professional Basketball Player Did the Sun Devils Offer?
On October 29, Arizona State extended an offer to Nathaniel Salmon, a 21-year-old tight end prospect in the 2026 class. Salmon shared that the Sun Devils offered him on X, writing, "GRATEFUL To receive an offer from Arizona State University!!! "
GRATEFUL To receive an offer from Arizona State University!!! #gosundevils #collegefootball pic.twitter.com/68QiiKtPSb
— Nathaniel Salmon (@natesalmon__) October 30, 2025
The Sun Devils are just the third team to offer him, joining Utah and Arizona. While he isn't being heavily recruited at the moment, that will change in the near future, considering he was only granted eligibility by the NCAA about a month ago.
Salmon's journey to college football is a crazy story. He was born and raised in Porirua, New Zealand, and didn't touch a football until about a year ago. He pursued a basketball career in New Zealand and made the country's professional basketball league straight out of high school at the age of 17.
He moved to Australia in 2024 to continue his basketball career, and while he was there, he was noticed and selected by the NFL's International Player Pathway program. He moved to the United States and began training through the program at IMG Academy, hoping to earn a spot on an NFL roster.
He was invited to the Los Angeles Chargers' rookie mini camp this offseason, but didn't make the roster. Salmon then turned his attention towards college football and was granted eligibility by the NCAA on October 9.
The Sun Devils' being one of the first programs to extend him an offer should put them in a solid position in Salmon's recruitment. Although he lacks football experience, his recruitment is expected to take off in the coming weeks.
Salmon has a freakish frame for a tight end prospect, standing at 6'7" and weighing 270 pounds. His basketball background provides him with strong movement skills, which should give him a head start on his footwork at the position.
Utah has already hosted him on an official visit, and with Arizona in the mix as well, Dillingham and his staff should try to get him on campus in Tempe as soon as possible if they want to secure his commitment.
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Max Doresy serves as the Western United States College Recruiting Beat Writer On SI. He graduated from the prestigious Syracuse University – S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Before that, he worked for the Pro Football Network and was part of the recruiting department for Syracuse University's football program.
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