Four-star SF Vaughn Karvala commits to Indiana

Vaughn Karvala, a four-star small forward in the 2026 class, has committed to Indiana, he told Rivals.

The 6-foot-6 senior out of Bella Vista (AZ) ultimately chose the Hoosiers over Xavier and Cal, but also received offers from Alabama, Villanova, Virginia Tech, Washington, Missouri, and others.

Karvala, a native of Oregon, Wisconsin, is ranked as the No. 43 overall player in the class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He’s also the No. 18 small forward and No. 6 player in the state of Arizona. 

During the 2024–25 season, his junior year at Oregon High School, Karvala averaged 26.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

Karvala on his commitment to Indiana

Vaughn Karvala went in-depth on his commitment to IU with Rivals.

“(Indiana) has a hometown feeling to it since I was born and raised in the Midwest, and has a great college atmosphere.”

What led to his trust in the coaching staff?

“They gave me straight forward answers and they didn’t try to oversell me and told me they could help me develop if I put in the work.”

In his own words, what type of player is Indiana getting in Karvala?

“I pride myself on my effort on both ends of the court. Offensively I’m an unselfish player but I’m not shy about scoring the ball.”

He has a message for IU fans.

“I know there’s a rich tradition of basketball at Indiana and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

More on Karvala

Rivals’ Jamie Shaw evaluated him at the Memphis EYBL this summer and wrote this about his game:

Vaughn Karvala has a frame you notice quickly, long arms, and is projectable. He is also wildly explosive, getting some eye-opening finishes above the rim. He made four threes in this one and is going to need to continue working on his self-creation and middle game. He had one of the better dunks of the day when he ripped through and finished over two players. Karvala had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks on night one.

Karvala opened a lot of eyes with his explosion. The 6-foot-6 wing is one of the more athletic players on the EYBL Circuit this summer. While having some highlight reel dunks, that also led to some intriguing blocked shots on the defensive end. Karvala is going to have to tighten up his game off the bounce, but he made some shots and was a consistent presence for his Team Herro program.