Syracuse Basketball: Not looking good for 2021 4-star PF Arthur Kaluma

Arthur Kaluma, a 2021 four-star forward, could commit soon, and one national analyst isn’t super high on Syracuse basketball as his destination.

Once perhaps thought of as a favorite to land 2021 four-star power forward Arthur Kaluma, Syracuse basketball now appears as not in a great position with the top-60 prospect across his recruiting cycle.

Of course, the recruiting world is fickle and involves a ton of speculation until high-school players actually reveal their commitment plans.

For now, the Orange is in the top eight for the 6-foot-8 Kaluma, a rising senior at Dream City Christian School in Glendale, Ariz. His finalists are the ‘Cuse, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona State, USC, Arkansas, Texas A&M and UNLV.

Corey Evans, a national analyst for Rivals.com, recently wrote an article where he rated the contenders for Kaluma, with Syracuse basketball checking in at No. 5.

Evans had said in that story, “At one point in time earlier in the year, Syracuse was believed to be the favorite for Kaluma. Things had even progressed to the point that there was talk that he was about to commit to the Orange.”

That, naturally, hasn’t happened, and an article from Evans on Friday noted seven 2021 prospects who may commit in the near future, with Kaluma included in the piece.

Evans, who has projected Kaluma to UNLV on Rivals.com, writes that Kaluma “has not shown his hand, but the feeling is that Arizona State, Texas A&M and UNLV are the three to beat. Any of the three could use his talents immediately next fall but the Running Rebels may have taken the lead after landing his good friend, Zaon Collins, over the weekend.”

Outlook for Syracuse basketball to secure 2021 four-star power forward Arthur Kaluma isn’t so optimistic.

While Evans is one of the best national recruiting analysts in the business, his prediction of Kaluma to UNLV doesn’t mean that Syracuse basketball is out of the running, especially since other experts on the 247Sports Web site and Rivals.com have yet to prognosticate on where they think Kaluma will end up going.

Still, it does seem that the Orange may have lost some momentum with Kaluma, a top-10 power forward in the 2021 recruiting cycle who is ranked as high as No. 20 overall by 247Sports.

If Syracuse basketball ultimately misses out on Kaluma, that would sting, particularly because other 2021 big men that the ‘Cuse has targeted, including three-star Ashton Smith and four-star Samson Johnson, recently eliminated the Orange from consideration.

Johnson committed to Connecticut, and Smith disclosed a top four of Virginia Tech, Seton Hall, Houston and Nebraska. Should Kaluma head to a team besides Syracuse basketball, all is not lost, though.

Orange coaches remain in pursuit of high-priority frontcourt target Micawber Etienne, a 2021 four-star center with the Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. The ‘Cuse coaching staff has long focused on the 6-foot-10 Etienne, although his recruitment is tough to read.