Miami Lands Commitment From Foreign Big Man Salih Altuntas
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Jai Lucas' first full roster is almost complete as the Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team lands the commitment of Turkish big man Salih Altuntas.
Miami adds a true interior force with Turkish big man, 2006 born Salih Altuntas
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) May 22, 2025
The 6-10, big bodied Turkish big man has delt with some injures this past season, but averaged 10.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in Turkey’s second division.
Over the summer he broke out in a… https://t.co/8pKS7HfapK pic.twitter.com/wlTaDKWl5c
Altuntas is set to join the Hurricanes after playing for Istanbulspor in the Turkish Basketball League (TBL), where he averaged 10.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, shooting 54.1% from the field. This is another big man for the guard-heavy roster, so he might get a good amount of playing time this upcoming season.
Altuntas has been a member of the Turkish U16, U18, and U20 national teams, participating in the 2023 and 2024 European U18 Championships and the 2024 European U20 Championship.
He is also coming off of injury earlier in the year. In January 2025, the talented big man underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his left ankle, sidelining him for about four months. By the time the season rolls around, he should be ready to go and be a massive contributor for this Hurricanes team.
Lucas already has the No. 1 class in the ACC and might add one more player if things play out in his favor with one of the top guards still left in the portal. The rebuilding process has been a success for the Hurricanes and Lucas in his first offseason as he prepares to take things to another level.
Miami Basketball Transfer Portal Recruiting Tracker
The Hurricanes are moving fast with their roster construction now having a projected starting lineup:
PG: Tre Donaldson
SG: Tru Washington
SF: Shelton Henderson
PF: Malik Reneau
C: Ernest Udeh Jr.
BENCH:
Dante Allen
Marcus Allen
Tomotej Malovec
Jordyn Kee
Salih Altuntas
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.