IU basketball recruiting: Hoosiers getting visit from 2026 top-50 4-star Vaughn Karvala

IU basketball has entered the mix for class of 2026 wing Vaughn Karvala and will get a visit on Oct. 16.

That’s according to a report by national 247Sports analyst Travis Branham.

Karvala is from Wisconsin and is playing this season in Arizona at Bella Vista Prep in the EYBL Scholastic League.

The 6-foot-6 Karvala appears to be down to Indiana, Xavier and California based on Branham’s report.

Based on the average of the national rankings, Karvala is a 4-star prospect, the No. 43 overall player in the 2026 class, and the No. 18 small forward.

As a junior at Oregon H.S. (Oregon, Wisc.), Karvala posted 26.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 53.5% from the field overall including 41.9% from three.

For travel basketball this past spring and summer, Karvala played for Team Herro on the Nike EYBL Circuit.

Here’s what 247Sports’ director of scouting Adam Finkelstein said about Karvala in his recruiting profile:

Karvala is loaded with glaring upside. He’s a big, nearly 6-foot-7 wing with a pretty shooting stroke from downtown. He runs well, covers the court, and can rise-up explosively to play above the rim. The key is putting it all together consistently and efficiently in order to impact winning to the highest degree.

While this was a breakout grassroots season for Karvala, he averaged 14 points per game on just 38% shooting from the floor and 34% from behind the arc, while attempting roughly two-third of his total from three. There’s no question that Karvala is a projectable shooter. He has a smooth release and showed versatility in his shot-making – on the move, running to the arc in transition, and being particularly good off the dribble. There were times though when his shot could get a little flat or when he could disappear altogether for stretches and not impact the game quite as much as someone with his talent should.

As he continues to adjust to playing against high-level competition, he needs to learn to assert himself consistently and find other ways to impact the game when he isn’t getting looks from downtown. Simultaneously, he has to build up his body, finish through contact more consistently at the rim, defend with consistent competitive physicality, and improve his decision-making abilities with the ball (0.8 assists vs. 2.2 turnovers). The bottom line though is that he has extreme tools and could be in the very early stages of putting them all together.

According to Branham’s report, Karvala will make a decision in late October or early November.