At a recent invite-only showcase that featured some of the country’s top underclassmen, one of the biggest standout performers at this event was new Syracuse basketball recruiting target Nikola Bundalo from Ohio.
About a month ago, the Orange offered a scholarship to the 6-foot-9 Bundalo, a fast-rising 2025 power forward who is expected to make his debut in the national rankings for this cycle in the near future, per comments from 247Sports national analyst Travis Branham.
Earlier this month, Bundalo was among those invited to compete at the 2023 CrossRoads Elite Invitational in Plainfield, Ind. Players from the 2025, 2026 and 2027 classes were invited to attend CrossRoads Elite.
#CREI23 📝: We spoke with ‘25 Nikola Bundalo tonight in Indy and discussed his 9 new offers over the past month, his early impressions at CrossRoads, being inspired by Kobe, and more (sound 🔊 on).@wildcatselect | @CREI_Adam pic.twitter.com/1Tk5V0rf8D
— Pro Insight (@_proinsight) June 3, 2023
Bundalo, a versatile lefty big man who can be effective both in the interior and on the perimeter, earned high marks from recruiting analysts and scouts for his play at this showcase.
Syracuse basketball 2025 target Nikola Bundalo is a high-upside power forward.
Bundalo is a sophomore at Green High School in Uniontown, Ohio. On the AAU circuit this spring, he has played at a high level for the Charleston, W.Va.-based Wildcat Select in the Adidas 3SSB league.
Besides the Orange, his early offer sheet includes Georgetown, Cincinnati, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State, Seton Hall, Xavier, Rutgers, Kent State and Bryant. On June 15, college coaches will be able to start initiating direct communication with 2025 prospects, and I expect Bundalo to see his offer list continue expanding around that time.
Eric Bossi, the national basketball director at 247Sports, agrees that Bundalo will be included in the next update of the 2025 national rankings. Bossi was at CrossRoads Elite and had this to say about this new Syracuse basketball recruit:
"“A skilled big man, Bundalo has made major waves this spring and he showed why at Crossroads. He can run, he can shoot, he can pass and despite a frame that he’s growing into, he’s not afraid to mix it up on the interior. He’s rapidly establishing himself as one of the highest upside big men in the class.”"
As Bundalo starts to map out campus visits in the future, I sure hope that he considers a trip to the Hill. It was encouraging that the Orange coaching staff offered him in May, although Bundalo’s stock is going to blow up, so the competition will keep growing for the ‘Cuse, and his recruitment has a way to go.
Since the grassroots basketball circuit commenced this spring, Syracuse basketball coaches have offered numerous intriguing prospects in the 2025 class, including Bundalo, five-star point guard Tyler Jackson from Baltimore, five-star shooting guard Darryn Peterson from Ohio, five-star forward Sadiq White from North Carolina and four-star wing Cam Ward from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.