Syracuse basketball coaches are still on the lookout for their first verbal pledge in the team's 2026 class. Might four-star small forward Vaughn Karvala from Wisconsin ultimately be the Orange's first verbal commit among rising high school seniors?
We'll have to wait and see. But when I glanced at the On3 Web site on Sunday, it did seem like the 'Cuse is in a good spot for the 6-foot-6 wing/small forward, a fast-rising prospect in the 2026 cycle.
According to the On3 recruiting prediction machine, Syracuse basketball currently holds a sizable lead for Karvala. That's encouraging. At the same time, Karvala's recruiting process could have a way to go, and which suitor is out in front for him could change as he takes more visits in the future.
This past November, Karvala unofficially visited the Orange. Soon thereafter, he received a scholarship offer from the 'Cuse staff. Recently, top national analyst/scout Jamie Shaw of On3 confirmed to me that Karvala is interested in possibly taking official visits to both Syracuse basketball and Southeastern Conference member Ole Miss.
To reiterate, as Karvala visits other schools, the Orange may not always find itself as the leader for him, per On3's recruiting prediction machine. However, it does appear that the 'Cuse is a legit contender to prevail in Karvala's recruitment.
Syracuse basketball remains in pursuit of 2026 four-star Vaughn Karvala.
Karvala is a standout at Oregon High School in Oregon, Wis. This spring, he has shined on the AAU circuit for the 17U squad of the Milwaukee-based Team Herro in Nike's EYBL league.
For Team Herro, Karvala is averaging 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while connecting on 42.4 percent from the floor, 36.4 percent from beyond the arc and 72.4 percent from the free-throw line. He's playing alongside 2025 three-star center Tiefing Diawara, who pledged to the 'Cuse not too long ago.
When 247Sports recently refreshed its 2026 rankings, Karvala made one of the largest jumps around the country, arriving at No. 42 overall. His full offer list also features teams such as Arizona State, Iowa, Marquette, Ole Miss and Wisconsin, among others. Tennessee and Oregon are also in touch with Karvala.
I'll be curious to see if Karvala does make a second trip to the Hill at some point. I'll of course monitor his recruitment with Syracuse basketball, along with other college campuses he may visit in the coming months.
In late May, 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein had this to say about Karvala: "Karvala is a translatable shot-maker with a pretty stroke from downtown. He also has good positional size on the wing at every bit of 6-foot-6. While he bases his game off his shooting right now, there’s potential to be much more than that. Karvala is an impressive athlete. He runs well, covers the court, and can rise-up explosively to play above the rim. Now, he still needs to get stronger, adapt to higher levels of competition, defend with consistent competitive physicality, and find other ways to impact the game when he isn’t getting looks from downtown, but the tools are all there."