Creighton forward Arthur Kaluma withdraws from NBA Draft, remains in transfer portal

Former Creighton Blue Jays star forward Arthur Kaluma has decided to return to college basketball for another season. According to a recent report, Kaluma has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft pool.

The former Blue Jay may be out of the 2023 NBA Draft, but that does not mean he will return to Creighton. No. Instead, he will enter into the NCAA transfer portal, where he can decide where he will play next season. The six-foot-eight forward entered his name into the transfer portal earlier in May while still deciding on his basketball future.

With Kaluma on his way back to the college level and in the portal, he is widely believed to be one of the best player currently available. And that means he will draw a ton of attention from blue blood and power programs looking to bolster their frontcourt. The Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Kentucky Wildcats are on the early short list of teams showing interest in the former Blue Jay forward. In particular, Kentucky’s need for a proven veteran frontcourt player has just been elevated after their former star forward and 2022 National College Basketball Player of the Year, Oscar Tshiebwe, decided to remain in the 2023 NBA Draft.

More on Kaluma

Kaluma ranked 87 in ESPN’s Top 100 NBA draft rankings. He was also drawing attention from a number of NBA franchises, seven to be precise, and did attend the draft combine.

Last season at Creighton, Kaluma was an instrumental part of their run deep into the 2023 Men’s Championship Basketball Tournament. Overall, the Glendale, AZ, native recorded 11.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 42.3 percent shooting from the field. Kaluma Also improved his shooting percentage from long range, going from 26.5 percent in 2022 to 31.1 percent last season.

During Creighton’s Final Four run, Kaluma was a consistent scorer averaging just over 10 points per game while maintaining a solid presence in the paint rebounding with an average of just under seven rebounds per game.

Given his performance last season and his ranking in the 2023 NBA Draft top 100, the former Blue Jay has the talent available to make an immediate impact regardless of what team he elects to play for next season. And as an added bonus, with Kaluma coming off of a sophomore season, he still has at least two more years of college eligibility if he chooses to use it.