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Miami announces the signing of forward Salih Altuntas

Trinton Breeze
1 min read
University of Miami men’s basketball head coach Jai Lucas announced Friday morning the signing of Salih Altuntas.

Altuntas, a 6-foot-10 center from Turkey, joins the Hurricanes after playing overseas in the Turkish Basketball League. The center spent a majority of the 2024-25 season playing for Istanbul Anka Spor, averaging 10.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game and shooting 54.1 percent from the field in 19 games.

“Salih is dominant force around the basket, using his size and skill to outwork his opponents,” Lucas said. “He brings several years of international experience to our roster and will make an immediate impact on the court.”

Altuntas also played 13 games for Anadolu Efes in the Turkey-U19 League in 2024-25, averaging 15.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per contest.

The Turkey native has competed in numerous FIBA Junior Team events, including playing at both the U18 and U20 Euro Championship A tournaments in 2024. At the U18 Euro Championships, Altuntas averaged 11.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in seven games played, helping Turkey to an 11th-place showing.

 

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Trinton Breeze said:
University of Miami men’s basketball head coach Jai Lucas announced Friday morning the signing of Salih Altuntas.

Altuntas, a 6-foot-10 center from Turkey, joins the Hurricanes after playing overseas in the Turkish Basketball League. The center spent a majority of the 2024-25 season playing for Istanbul Anka Spor, averaging 10.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game and shooting 54.1 percent from the field in 19 games.

“Salih is dominant force around the basket, using his size and skill to outwork his opponents,” Lucas said. “He brings several years of international experience to our roster and will make an immediate impact on the court.”

Altuntas also played 13 games for Anadolu Efes in the Turkey-U19 League in 2024-25, averaging 15.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per contest.

The Turkey native has competed in numerous FIBA Junior Team events, including playing at both the U18 and U20 Euro Championship A tournaments in 2024. At the U18 Euro Championships, Altuntas averaged 11.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in seven games played, helping Turkey to an 11th-place showing.
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That guy looks like he’s been running his business for 20 years.
 
Looks like an old school big man who does most of his work in the paint. Haven't seen any film on him that shows an ability to knock down the outside shot. My main concern is how effective will he be in college with very limited athleticism and no jump shot. Gonna be interesting to see if he'll be able to play in transition, block shots and dunk everything in the paint vs ACC competition. If he can't do that, he's a dinosaur in today's game.

 
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King of Allapattah said:
Looks like an old school big man who does most of his work in the paint. Haven't seen any film on him that shows an ability to knock down the outside shot. My main concern is how effective will he be in college with very limited athleticism and no jump shot. Gonna be interesting to see if he'll be able to play in transition, block shots and dunk everything in the paint vs ACC competition. If he can't do that, he's a dinosaur in today's game.

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Soon as I saw his numbers than the comment about dominant inside presence I couldn't help but laugh. To average those numbers IN TURKEY screams VERY BASIC offensively. I will say his rebounding numbers aren't bad considering they're all huge sloths around the basket there. Id be really concerned about his ability in transition and if his stamina will be where it needs to be. Cause considering everything else we been added and knowing how Jai and the Lucas family in general are the plan is to run everyone else out the gym
 
Brooklyndee said:
Soon as I saw his numbers than the comment about dominant inside presence I couldn't help but laugh. To average those numbers IN TURKEY screams VERY BASIC offensively. I will say his rebounding numbers aren't bad considering they're all huge sloths around the basket there. Id be really concerned about his ability in transition and if his stamina will be where it needs to be. Cause considering everything else we been added and knowing how Jai and the Lucas family in general are the plan is to run everyone else out the gym
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Well he's gonna be the backup center. So Id really hope his stamina is where it needs to be .
 
King of Allapattah said:
Looks like an old school big man who does most of his work in the paint. Haven't seen any film on him that shows an ability to knock down the outside shot. My main concern is how effective will he be in college with very limited athleticism and no jump shot. Gonna be interesting to see if he'll be able to play in transition, block shots and dunk everything in the paint vs ACC competition. If he can't do that, he's a dinosaur in today's game.

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Is he really a dinosaur in CBB? Maybe in the NBA. Johni Broome, Drew Timme, Trayce Jackson-Davis dominated with an old man’s game
 
King of Allapattah said:
Looks like an old school big man who does most of his work in the paint. Haven't seen any film on him that shows an ability to knock down the outside shot. My main concern is how effective will he be in college with very limited athleticism and no jump shot. Gonna be interesting to see if he'll be able to play in transition, block shots and dunk everything in the paint vs ACC competition. If he can't do that, he's a dinosaur in today's game.

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He looks stiff and non-athletic to me. A limited, low post guy.

Time will tell how "dominant" he'll be in ACC competition. My hope is he can provide some physical presence underneath and mix it up with the opponents' bigs.

I'll be first to apologize if I undervalued him.
 
hotshot said:
He looks stiff and non-athletic to me. A limited, low post guy.

Time will tell how "dominant" he'll be in ACC competition. My hope is he can provide some physical presence underneath and mix it up with the opponents' bigs.

I'll be first to apologize if I undervalued him.
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We're basically saying the same thing. I just went about it in a nicer way. :hunt-dog-lol:
 
cookies said:
Is he really a dinosaur in CBB? Maybe in the NBA. Johni Broome, Drew Timme, Trayce Jackson-Davis dominated with an old man’s game
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Those guys may have looked the part, but they were far from just playing "with an old man's game."

Drew Timme is the least athletic of the 3 you mentioned but quite possibly the most skilled and craftiest of them.

Jackson-Davis moves a helluva lot better than Altuntas and is much more athletic. TJD dunks everything he can. Can score off the bounce and from outside the paint.

Broome is a very skilled big man. Tough. Rebounds and contests shots at high level. Can also step outside and knock down shots. No comparison here.

If he can't do any of the 3 things (play in transition, block shots and dunk everything) I mentioned, then yes, he's a dinosaur in today's game.
 
King of Allapattah said:
Those guys may have looked the part, but they were far from just playing "with an old man's game."

Drew Timme is the least athletic of the 3 you mentioned but quite possibly the most skilled and craftiest of them.

Jackson-Davis moves a helluva lot better than Altuntas and is much more athletic. TJD dunks everything he can. Can score off the bounce and from outside the paint.

Broome is a very skilled big man. Tough. Rebounds and contests shots at high level. Can also step outside and knock down shots. No comparison here.

If he can't do any of the 3 things (play in transition, block shots and dunk everything) I mentioned, then yes, he's a dinosaur in today's game.
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I just find it odd to say no comparison between the teenager on a roster half filled with former NBA players to a guy playing at Morehead State at the same age.

Can see him impacting the game like Timme down the line who didn’t block many shots. Ultimately, in the modern game, big men who can’t shoot 3s don’t take many if any shots outside the paint. Which is why i grouped all 3 together as having old man’s games. And big men who aren’t really good passers rarely dribble.

Setting screens, running dribble handoffs, defending screens & DHO’s are more valuable than a big guy needing to play in transition. The nature of his position means he has the furthest distance to travel in most fastbreak situations anyway. If he can go straight up without fouling, he can be a fine rim protector without blocking a ton of shots.

Dude just turned 18 in this video & running 2 man action game with one of our goats. The college game is closer to EuroLeague than the NBA.

Turkey has a very serious hoops culture, which is why they sponsor the Euroleague. The guard Penn State got is going to be electric for them. Him and our guy were the only two yutes on the squad in 23-24. He left to go play for a EuroCup-Turkish team so he could get more playing time. Salih stayed and ended up getting injured so he didn’t get an opportunity to play as much in the 2nd best league in the world.

 
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cookies said:
I just find it odd to say no comparison between the teenager on a roster half filled with former NBA players to a guy playing at Morehead State at the same age.

Can see him impacting the game like Timme down the line who didn’t block many shots. Ultimately, in the modern game, big men who can’t shoot 3s don’t take many if any shots outside the paint. Which is why i grouped all 3 together as having old man’s games. And big men who aren’t really good passers rarely dribble.

Setting screens, running dribble handoffs, defending screens & DHO’s are more valuable than a big guy needing to play in transition. The nature of his position means he has the furthest distance to travel in most fastbreak situations anyway. If he can go straight up without fouling, he can be a fine rim protector without blocking a ton of shots.

Dude just turned 18 in this video & running 2 man action game with one of our goats. The college game is closer to EuroLeague than the NBA.

Turkey has a very serious hoops culture, which is why they sponsor the Euroleague. The guard Penn State got is going to be electric for them. Him and our guy were the only two yutes on the squad in 23-24. He left to go play for a EuroCup-Turkish team so he could get more playing time. Salih stayed and ended up getting injured so he didn’t get an opportunity to play as much in the 2nd best league in the world.

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Give us your comparison to Enes Kanter (Freedom) at the same age, Same size, both low post players, Turkish pro league, no outside game, etc.

If Altuntas can hit the Offensive boards like Kanter ...
 
cookies said:
I just find it odd to say no comparison between the teenager on a roster half filled with former NBA players to a guy playing at Morehead State at the same age.

Can see him impacting the game like Timme down the line who didn’t block many shots. Ultimately, in the modern game, big men who can’t shoot 3s don’t take many if any shots outside the paint. Which is why i grouped all 3 together as having old man’s games. And big men who aren’t really good passers rarely dribble.

Setting screens, running dribble handoffs, defending screens & DHO’s are more valuable than a big guy needing to play in transition. The nature of his position means he has the furthest distance to travel in most fastbreak situations anyway. If he can go straight up without fouling, he can be a fine rim protector without blocking a ton of shots.

Dude just turned 18 in this video & running 2 man action game with one of our goats. The college game is closer to EuroLeague than the NBA.

Turkey has a very serious hoops culture, which is why they sponsor the Euroleague. The guard Penn State got is going to be electric for them. Him and our guy were the only two yutes on the squad in 23-24. He left to go play for a EuroCup-Turkish team so he could get more playing time. Salih stayed and ended up getting injured so he didn’t get an opportunity to play as much in the 2nd best league in the world.

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Look, I'm not saying the guy has no chance. I just think there are certain things he's going to need to do here if he's to have any kind of impact on the team. In looking at his highlights he doesn't show an ability to score from outside. Will be very difficult for him on offense being non-athletic and not being able to shoot the ball. Not a good combo to have. By the way, as graduating seniors Timme and TJD were leaps and bounds better than Altuntas. Broome also edges him out as a prospect when you consider John was 17 when he graduated high school.
 
hotshot said:
Give us your comparison to Enes Kanter (Freedom) at the same age, Same size, both low post players, Turkish pro league, no outside game, etc.

If Altuntas can hit the Offensive boards like Kanter ...
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Altuntas is known for his offensive rebounding. Across all leagues, he has averaged 3 offensive rebounds for every 5 defensive rebounds he grabs. Should be able to help Miami there immediately.

Kanter played for the only other EuroLeague team in Turkey. Much like Salih, he was a third string center who didn’t play that much as a teenager. Kanter had some American experience before going to college though. He went to prep school his senior year.

Kanter and Sengun were better prospects at the same age. Kanter broke Dirk’s scoring record at the Nike Hoop Summit. Kanter’s FIBA numbers were much better than Altuntas at the same age. Kanter sat out a year and still was drafted third overall. I don’t think Altuntas is a 1 & done prospect.

Sengun and Altuntas had pretty identical stats playing for Turkey’s U18 team except Sengun’s team had much more success (5 wins compared with 2 wins). Sengun is like 2 years more advanced than Altuntas was at the same age. His similar performance w/ U18 came when he was 17. Sengun took a massive leap from 18 to 19, when he was MVP of best Turkish domestic league.
 
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