Wisconsin, Marquette or another program: What's next for Vaughn Karvala's basketball career?

New York Times

26-02-2025

Vaughn Karvala scored inside on a drop-step move from the left baseline, buried a straight-on 3-pointer in transition, drove from the left wing to cut through the defense on a reverse layup, jab-stepped a defender to drill a 3 from the right wing and then dribbled into the lane and floated in a bucket while drawing a foul.
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Five minutes and 35 seconds of game clock had elapsed. Karvala already had scored 16 points for Oregon (Wis.) High School to showcase his vast array of moves in a game two weeks ago against Watertown. He finished with 32 points and nine rebounds.
It was just another night for the state of Wisconsin's No. 1 player in the 2026 class — and another demonstration of why his potential at the college level is so tantalizing. Karvala, a 6-foot-7, 180-pound wing with scholarship offers that include both Marquette and Wisconsin, has dominated during his junior season, averaging 26 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while shooting 38.9 percent from 3.
Oregon closes the regular season Thursday night against Beaver Dam and is set to host Janesville Craig in a regional semifinal on March 7. But perhaps the most critical stretch of Karvala's young career is looming.
His first practice for Team Herro's 17-under AAU squad is set for March 20, with tournaments scheduled across the country in the prestigious Nike EYBL. Karvala, whose other Division I scholarship offers are from Arizona State, Ole Miss and Syracuse, figures to be on the cusp of a major recruiting breakthrough. Then, he'll have a difficult decision to make about his future.
'He can really sort of do everything on a high school court,' Oregon basketball coach Chris Siebert said. 'I think what makes him fun for the next level is he's just like a blank canvas. You kind of never know where he's going to go. He could be a bunch of different things depending on how his body develops.'
Siebert was hired as Oregon's varsity coach in July 2018 and first learned of Karvala's potential that summer when he ran a youth skills clinic for area kids. He grouped players by size and watched Karvala take a dribble from half court at full speed, gather the ball and finish at the rim with a left-handed layup. He couldn't believe when he heard Karvala was only entering the fifth grade.
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Karvala initially came off the bench as a freshman on varsity and didn't score in double figures in any of his first 10 games. But then came a 28-point explosion against Milwaukee Marshall in which he buried six 3-pointers that helped to solidify his ascension into the starting lineup. Karvala averaged 9.6 points and 2.7 rebounds per game that season and earned his first scholarship offer from Division II Northern Michigan. His rise since then has been steady.
As a sophomore last season, he averaged 24.1 points and 6.5 rebounds. Karvala attended a pair of team camps last June that led to his offers from Marquette and Wisconsin. Siebert said Karvala's ability is so unique because he has the versatility to guard every position on the floor. He also is a three-level scorer who can catch and shoot from the outside, take defenders off the dribble and score efficiently in the post.
Naturally, offers from both major programs in the state have led to increased attention on Karvala each game. But he has taken the scrutiny in stride. During a game last month at Monona Grove High School, the opposing student section began chanting 'overrated' less than a minute in. Seconds later, Karvala dashed into the lane and put down a two-handed dunk. He scored 39 points and added 16 rebounds.
Karvala set the Oregon career scoring record three weeks ago by dropping 41 points on seven made 3-pointers against Waunakee. Six days later came his performance against Watertown. Five days after that, he went for 38 points and made eight 3-pointers in a rematch against Monona Grove.
The question on the mind of fans who follow both the Badgers and Golden Eagles is: What will Karvala decide to do? Will he choose to play close to home or take a different path depending on what else is out there for him? At this point, he said he is open to entertaining anything.
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Karvala would represent a major boon for both teams. He is a four-star prospect and ranked as the No. 76 player in the country in the 247Sports Composite. Only four players in the online recruiting ranking era have signed with Wisconsin that possessed a higher rating: Brian Butch, Sam Dekker, Joe Krabbenhoft and Greg Stiemsma. Krabbenhoft and Stiemsma now serve as staff members at Wisconsin under head coach Greg Gard.
Wisconsin's recruiting success in the state over the years has been a mixed bag. The Badgers have landed several quality in-state players but haven't signed the No. 1 247Sports Composite player from Wisconsin since Dekker in 2012. Wisconsin does have two in-state signees in the 2025 class (guard Zach Kinziger and center Will Garlock) and one committed in 2026 (forward LaTrevion Fenderson).
Krabbenhoft and Gard have been Karvala's main recruiters, and Karvala plays his high school games just 11 miles from the Kohl Center.
'I definitely hear a lot about if I should go there,' Karvala said. 'But I wouldn't say there's too much pressure because I'm pretty good about letting that stuff fly over because it's just outside noise.'
Karvala said Wisconsin's increased tempo and scoring were aspects that intrigued him. Wisconsin is averaging its highest points-per-game output in 54 years while playing with the fastest pace since Gard took over. Karvala praised Gard's coaching ability and said he 'knows what he's talking about.' Siebert said Gard, whose son Isaac is a Badgers walk-on and played at Oregon, has been aware of Karvala and monitored him for years.
'They've been really meticulous, which I think is really cool,' Siebert said. 'You can tell that they don't want to prioritize the transfer portal. They are very diligent in their homework of building relationships and identifying the right people. They watched him a bunch before they offered him.'
Marquette is not a program generally built around in-state players. Starting forward David Joplin, a Milwaukee native, is the only in-state player in the rotation and one of two from the state on the roster, alongside walk-on guard Jake Ciardo. But Karvala has developed a strong relationship with Marquette coach Shaka Smart so far.
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When asked which staff members he talked to the most during his recruitment, he cited frequent checkups from Smart, as well as Syracuse general manager Alex Kline. Karvala said Smart regularly sends him motivational or inspirational quotes via text message.
'I love Coach Smart,' Karvala said. 'He's a great dude. He really gets basketball. He's a great coach. Their play style definitely fits me. Getting up and down the court is definitely my style of play.'
Other schools that have expressed interest in Karvala include Notre Dame, St. Louis, USC and Alabama. Any of those programs and more could offer as coaches watch national tournaments this spring and summer. Karvala's AAU circuit will take him to Arizona, Memphis, Kansas City and potentially Georgia for the Peach Jam if the team qualifies. Karvala is being recruited as a wing but has the potential to develop into a stretch four.
The next few months will be busy. Karvala's mom, Alexandra, will drive him to Milwaukee on Tuesday and Thursday nights during AAU season for a third consecutive year. His dad, Eric, said there is a possibility that Karvala could attend a prep school next season to gain better competition before college. That means June, a slower month for AAU, could include several college or prep school visits.
All of it, Karvala said, is part of a long-term plan to maximize his potential and help him someday fulfill his dream of reaching the NBA.
'He's not a kid that thinks he's a one-and-done or is thinking about where he can get on the floor the fastest,' Siebert said. 'It's going to come down to wherever he thinks he can be the best 21-year-old.'