Syracuse Basketball: Playing time could be there for 4-star Arthur Kaluma

Syracuse basketball is in the running to potentially pick up 2021 four-star power forward Arthur Kaluma, according to a report, though challenges for this to occur are present.

Kaluma’s AAU coach, Sean Stevens of the Las Vegas-based Vegas Elite, said in an article by SyracuseOnSI publisher Mike McAllister that regarding Kaluma, “Right now I’d say it’s a four horse race between Arizona, Syracuse, Creighton and Washington with Western Kentucky hanging around a little bit. It’s heavy. He broke it down there from having the entire Pac-12 calling to this level of about four. Syracuse being really the only program that was recruiting him pre-UNLV at a high extent.”

A couple of things to break down here for context. First and foremost, the 6-foot-8 Kaluma previously had the Orange in his top eight before selecting UNLV over the ‘Cuse, Arizona State, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and USC.

The Rebels recently had a head-coaching change, and Kaluma then received a release from his commitment to UNLV, thereby reopening his recruitment back up.

Syracuse basketball remains in the mix for 2021 four-star forward Arthur Kaluma.

Kaluma is a senior at Dream City Christian School in Glendale, Ariz., and a top-50 player across the country in the 2021 cycle. Geographically speaking, it’s certainly understandable why Arizona is recruiting him.

Washington is led by former long-time Orange assistant Mike Hopkins. Although his team struggled in the most recent campaign, Hopkins is an elite recruiter. And Creighton is one of the best squads in the Big East Conference.

This is intense competition for Syracuse basketball as it pertains to Kaluma, without question. The Orange coaching staff held a recent Zoom call with Kaluma, Stevens told McAllister, and a commitment could come “probably in the next week.”

Media reports have said that Kaluma is eyeing a school that will provide him with immediate playing time, and that could prove the biggest issue for Syracuse basketball.

The ‘Cuse has three forwards on its roster for the upcoming term in 2021 five-star commit Benny Williams out of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., along with Cornell transfer Jimmy Boeheim and Villanova transfer Cole Swider.

That being said, those three are all new to the Orange program, much like Kaluma would be if he selected Syracuse basketball. Given that Kaluma can suit up at multiple positions, and he’s quite athletic and versatile, my sense is that minutes would likely prove available to him in Central New York.

Plus, if the ‘Cuse wanted to go a bit small, but have a lethal line-up on the floor, it could move Kaluma or one of the other forwards, such as Boeheim, to the center spot. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that the Orange could simultaneously play three forwards.

Additionally, Kaluma is a tremendous defender from what I gather, and that could garner him more run. And he and Williams, if they both stayed past year one, would make one heck of a duo as sophomores, too.

It seems that things could wrap up quickly with Kaluma’s recruitment. I believe that Syracuse basketball has some positive attributes working in its favor, including a Hall of Fame head coach, rugged conference competition, a massive facility in the Carrier Dome, and a track record of sending athletic forwards to the professional ranks.

If Kaluma believes that immediate playing time isn’t there on the Hill, that’s a bummer, but it’s understandable. I’ve always been high on him and would love to see him in a ‘Cuse uniform.