Sasu Salin

{{Infobox basketball biography

| image = EuroBasket 2017 France vs Finland 44.jpg

| name = Sasu Salin

| caption = Salin with Finland during EuroBasket 2017

| position = Shooting guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2.8

| weight_lbs = 198

| league = Liga Națională

| team = U-BT Cluj-Napoca

| number = 9

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|6|11}}

| birth_place = Helsinki, Finland

| draft_year = 2013

| career_start = 2007

| career_end =

| years1 = 2007–2010

| team1 = Espoon Honka

| years2 = 2010–2015

| team2 = Union Olimpija

| years3 = 2015–2017

| team3 = Gran Canaria

| years4 = 2017–2019

| team4 = Unicaja Malaga

| years5 = 2019–2024

| team5 = Lenovo Tenerife

| years6 = 2024–present

| team6 = U-BT Cluj-Napoca

| highlights =

FIBA Champions League champion (2022)
FIBA Intercontinental Cup champion (2020)
Spanish Supercup winner (2016)
3× Slovenian Cup winner (2011–2013)}}

Sasu Antreas Salin (born June 11, 1991) is a Finnish professional basketball player who plays for Romanian team U-BT Cluj-Napoca in Liga Națională. Standing at {{convert|1.91|m|ftin|abbr=on}} he plays at the shooting guard position. Salin also captains the Finland national team.

Professional career

=Union Olimpija=

On August 27, 2010, Salin signed a three-year contract with the Slovenian club Union Olimpija in the EuroLeague.{{cite news|title=Union Olimpija adds Sasu Salin|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/75097/union-olimpija-adds-sasu-salin|accessdate=16 June 2015|work=Euroleague.net|date=27 August 2010}}{{cite web|title=Finn Sasu Salin signs with Union Olimpija|url=http://www.talkbasket.net/2748-finn-sasu-salin-signs-with-union-olimpija.html|work=talkbasket.net|date=27 August 2010 |publisher=union.olimpija.com|accessdate=8 September 2012}} On June 20, 2013, he extended his contract with Olimpija for two more seasons.{{cite news|title=Union Olimpija keep Sasu Salin for two more seasons|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/cups/adriatic-league/102172/union-olimpija-keep-sasu-salin-for-two-more-seasons.html|accessdate=16 June 2015|work=Sportando.com|date=20 June 2013}}

=Gran Canaria=

In February 2015, he left Olimpija and signed with Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroCup team Herbalife Gran Canaria for the rest of the season.{{cite news|title=El Herbalife Gran Canaria se refuerza con Sasu Salin|url=http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=110693|accessdate=16 June 2015|work=acb.com|date=9 February 2015|language=es}} On June 16, 2015, he re-signed with Gran Canaria for one more season.{{cite news|title=Sasu Salin remains with Gran Canaria|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/spain/164194/sasu-salin-remains-with-gran-canaria.html|accessdate=16 June 2015|work=Sportando.com|date=16 June 2015}}

=Unicaja Malaga=

File:Sasu Salin - Penya-Unicaja by unniks-9.jpg in 2018]]

On July 11, 2017, Salin signed a two-year deal with Spanish club Unicaja of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.{{cite news|title=Unicaja adds sharp shooter Salin|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/7xsf5r3bbt6ma6wi|accessdate=11 July 2017|work=Euroleague.net|date=11 July 2017}}

=Lenovo Tenerife=

On July 12, 2019, Salin signed a two-year deal with Spanish club Iberostar Tenerife in ACB and the Basketball Champions League.{{cite news |title=Iberostar Tenerife signs Sasu Salin |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/iberostar-tenerife-signs-sasu-salin/ |accessdate=13 July 2019 |work=Sportando |date=12 July 2019}} Salin and Tenerife were crowned the Champions League champions in 2022. On 7 July 2023, Salin renewed his contract with Tenerife again, on a one-year deal with an option for the further year.{{cite news |title=Sasu Salin renovado|url=https://cbcanarias.net/2023/07/07/sasu-salin-renovado/|work=cbcanarias |date=7 July 2023}}

On 18 October 2023, in the opening match of the 2023–24 Basketball Champions League against Cholet, Salin scored 7/7 three-pointers in only 8 minutes in the second quarter, helping his side to take the lead after being 19 points short, and ultimately to win the game. Salin finished as a top scorer of the game with 25 points (8/9 behind the 3p line).[https://www.championsleague.basketball/23-24/game/1710/Lenovo-Tenerife-Cholet-Basket#tab=overview, Lenovo Tenerife 95 - 75 Cholet Basket], championsleaguebasketball, 18 October 2023[https://www.championsleague.basketball/23-24/news/the-great-eight-the-top-numbers-of-season-8-s-opening-day The Great Eight: The top numbers of Season 8's opening day] championsleaguebasketball, 18 October 2023[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a88BFFYd3cU Sasu Salin (25 PTS / 3 REB) | Player Highlights | LNTF v CHO | Basketball Champions League 2023-24], youtube.com

On 16 December 2023 in a match against Manresa, Salin made his 300th appearance in the Liga ACB.[https://www.basket.fi/basket/uutiset/sasu-salin-rikkoi-upean-rajapyykin-pienta-ylpeytta-voi-tuntea/ Sasu Salin rikkoi upean rajapyykin – ”Pientä ylpeyttä voi tuntea”], basket.fi, 18 December 2023 After the 2023–24 season, it was confirmed that Salin would leave Tenerife after spending five seasons with the club.[https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000010540833.html Sasu Salin, 33, on asunut suomalaisten suosikkikohteissa jo 10 vuotta – antaa tärkeän vinkin turisteille], Helsingin Sanomat, 4 July 2024

=U-BT Cluj-Napoca=

On 3 August 2024, Salin moved to Romania and signed with U-BT Cluj-Napoca in the Liga Națională and the EuroCup.[https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000010606286.html Sasu Salin siirtyy Romaniaan], Helsingin Sanomat, 3 August 2024

International career

At the international stage, Salin has represented Finland national team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2023 FIBA World Cup. At the European stage, he played in the EuroBasket 2011, EuroBasket 2013, EuroBasket 2015, EuroBasket 2017 and in the EuroBasket 2022. He is currently the captain of the national team.

Salin also played in the 2024 FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament.[https://www.basket.fi/basket/uutiset/susijengin-pelaajatusina-olympiakarsintoihin-on-vahvistettu/ Susijengin pelaajatusina olympiakarsintoihin on vahvistettu], basket.fi, 30 June 2024

Career statistics

class="wikitable"

style="background:#AFE6BA; width:3em;"|†

|Denotes season in which Salin won the Champions League

=EuroLeague=

| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11

| style="text-align:left;"| Union Olimpija

| 11 || 0 || 5.31 || .353 || .333 || .667 || .8 || .1 || 0.4 || - || 1.8 || 1.0

| style="text-align:left;"| 2011–12

| style="text-align:left;"| Union Olimpija

| 10 || 8 || 25.3 || .286 || .167 || 1.000 || 2.0 || 1.3 || .8 || .1 || 4.4 || 3.4

| style="text-align:left;"| 2012–13

| style="text-align:left;"| Union Olimpija

| 9 || 9 || 24.2 || .389 || .325 || 1.000 || 2.7 || 1.4 || 1.2 || .2 || 6.3 || 7.9

| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18

| style="text-align:left;"| Unicaja

| 28 || 11 || 15.6 || .318 || .305 || .722 || 1.7 || 1.2 || .5 || - || 5.0 || 4.2

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:left;"| Career

| 58 || 28 || 16.6 || .327 || .285 || .781 || 1.7 || 1.0 || .7 || .1 || 4.5 || 4.1

=EuroCup=

| style="text-align:left;"| 2013–14

| style="text-align:left;"| Union Olimpija

| 16 || 4 || 26.0 || .344 || .340 || .854 || 2.4 || 1.5 || 1.2 || - || 10.9 || 8.4

| style="text-align:left;"| 2014–15

| style="text-align:left;"| Union Olimpija

| 9 || 6 || 22.4 || .397 || .419 || .800 || 3.1 || 1.1 || .7 || - || 9.8 || 10.7

| style="text-align:left;"| 2015–16

| style="text-align:left;"| Gran Canaria

| 22 || 17 || 22.3 || .412 || .384 || .854 || 2.7 || 1.0 || .8 || - || 11.5 || 9.9

| style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17

| style="text-align:left;"| Gran Canaria

| 16 || 13 || 17.5 || .469 || .474 || .955 || 1.4 || .7 || .8 || .1 || 9.3 || 8.6

| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19

| style="text-align:left;"| Unicaja

| 19 || 8 || 20.5 || .372 || .372 || .810 || 2.4 || 1.2 || .4 || .1 || 7.1 || 6.3

| style="text-align:left;"| 2024–25

| style="text-align:left;"| U-BT Cluj-Napoca

| 9 || 6 || 22.5 || .365 || .345 || .895 || 2.0 || 1.3 || .6 || - || 9.1 || 8.3

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:left;"| Career

| 91 || 54 || 21.6 || .393 || .385 || .860 || 2.3 || 1.1 || 0.8 || 0.0 || 9.7 || 8.6