A decision is coming soon from the class of 2021 4-star Power Forward, Arthur Kaluma. Syracuse is among the handful of schools the Arizona native is looking at. Kaluma was originally committed to UNLV, where he planned to be joined by his friend and fellow 4-star, Zaon Collins. The two were tied closely together in the recruitment process, it was no surprise they ended up at the same school. Those two were part of a strong three-man recruiting class that was listed No. 1 in the Mountain West and top-20 in the country. However, Collins was dropped by the program following his arrest for a car crash this past December that killed another driver. Without Collins by his side, Kaluma decommitted from the team despite optimism that he might stay. The highly touted prospect is once again looking for his new home, which Syracuse may become.
This would be a huge addition for Orange. Adding a talented young forward, especially after having just lost Quincy Guerrier, Robert Braswell, and Marek Dolezaj, would elevate this team significantly. At 6-8 205 lbs, most of the youngster’s value is shown on the defensive end due to his length, athleticism, and instincts. His vision is also a huge strength as well as his ability to rebound on both ends of the floor. His ceiling will ultimately be defined in how he’s able to establish a jump shot and improve his handles.
His addition would pair nicely with that of fellow freshman Benny Williams and SU’s three incoming transfers. Many pundits around college basketball are claiming Syracuse has a shot to be up around the top 25 this season, Kaluma’s addition would help greatly towards that goal.
As for what kind of role he might carve out in Orange threads next season; He’d probably play a similar one to that of Robert Braswell/Jesse Edwards this past year, in which he doesn’t start, but comes off the bench and provides meaningful minutes in times of need. Without a great understanding of how Boeheim will split up the minutes between the bigs this year, adding a guy who could potentially provide some help down low and definitely provide solid defense on the wing would be invaluable.
To answer the question, there’s a good chance. In the mix are Syracuse, Arizona, Creighton, Washington, and Western Kentucky. What SU has that only one of those teams (Creighton) have is a Sweet 16 run this past season. Obviously the salt city might not have the appeal of Arizona, which is just 2 hours away from where the Glendale native grew up, but it does also have a hall of fame coach and the potential for plenty of playing time. Obviously Syracuse can’t offer him the same playing time that some of these other schools can but with plenty of players out of the way, Kaluma should be able to break into the steady rotation without an issue. Syracuse definitely has a decent shot at landing the 4-star, but of course it’s yet to be seen.
We’ll keep you updated on whether or not Kaluma chooses Syracuse. Follow us on Twitter @OrangeFizz for news about Syracuse Basketball, Football, and Lacrosse.
