Syracuse Basketball: Arthur Kaluma, Benny Williams would make elite duo

Syracuse basketball is in the top eight for four-star Arthur Kaluma, who would prove lethal in the Orange’s vaunted 2-3 zone.

Syracuse basketball has the potential for a dynamic pairing of forwards in its 2021 recruiting cycle after top-60 prospect Arthur Kaluma put the Orange among his eight finalists. If he opted for Syracuse and joined 2021 commit Benny Williams, watch out.

However, it’s likely a long shot for the ‘Cuse to land the 6-foot-8 power forward Kaluma, a rising senior who attends Dream City Christian School in Glendale, Ariz.

Kaluma, hailing from the west coast, has a top-eight list that also includes powerhouse program Kansas and fellow Big 12 Conference team Oklahoma, Pac-12 Conference crews in Arizona State and USC, SEC squads Arkansas and Texas A&M, and UNLV.

Given where he is from, it would seem that the Orange is facing an uphill battle to secure Kaluma, but it’s obviously better to reside in the top eight than to not have made the cut so far. He revealed his finalists via Twitter.

The ‘Cuse has appeared to gain some recruiting momentum of late, led in part by the commitment of Williams, a four-star small forward and top-50 player in the 2021 class who attends St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Md.

As it currently stands, assuming there are no roster moves after the 2020-21 campaign, Syracuse is projected to have two additional scholarships available, after factoring Williams into the line-up.

The four-star Kaluma, should he elect to suit up for the Orange, would make an excellent complement to Williams at the forward spots in the 2-3 zone. Both are extremely athletic and long, which is ideal for the ‘Cuse defense.

"Josh Gershon, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, had this to say about Kaluma in an evaluation. “Versatile forward whose biggest value is on the defensive end due to size, length, athleticism and instincts. Tremendous defensive upside and what he hangs his hat on at this point. Has outstanding vision for the position; best attribute on offense at this point. Rebounds on both ends of court. Improvement of handle and jumper will have big say in hitting ceiling. Projects as high major starter whose ultimate NBA stock will be determined by how much his offense catches up to his defense.”"

Presently, 247Sports slots Kaluma at No. 20 across the country in his class, followed by No. 36 at the 247Sports Composite, No. 38 at ESPN.com, and No. 59 at Rivals.com.

Kaluma is a top-10 power forward in the 2021 recruiting cycle. Williams is a top-10 small forward. The possibility of them linking up together in Central New York is undeniably tantalizing. Oh, and Syracuse commit Dior Johnson, a five-star point guard, may end up reclassifying to 2021. Yikes.