The hope of Indian basketball!

Arjun was absolutely on fire tonight.

He outshone everyone, even making stars like Afflalo and James look dim in comparison.

He quickly won over the away crowd with his performance.

Of course, it helped that there weren't as many die-hard Arizona fans here.

Neutral fans were easily swayed by Arjun's show-stopping play.

Even after a timeout, Arizona couldn't change the pace of the game.

The rhythm was totally dominated by UCLA.

By the 15th minute of the second half, UCLA was leading by a whopping 24 points.

With 10 minutes left in the half, Arjun took a seat and watched Westbrook lead the third-stringers in pressing Arizona.

James had hoped to pad his stats while Arjun was off the court.

But unfortunately, he ran into Westbrook, who played like he was on a mission.

James was shocked to find scoring against UCLA's third-string tough.

"Damn! This guy is built like a tank."

After going head-to-head with Westbrook, James felt like he was hitting a wall...

Arjun played 27 minutes, scoring an impressive 30 points, with 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 blocks, and only 3 turnovers.

He scored the highest points in the game.

Don't underestimate scoring 30 points in NCAA,it's tough with the different pace and timing compared to the NBA.

It's rare to see someone consistently drop 30+ in NCAA games.

Many NCAA schools' individual scoring records are just around 30 points.

The average game score for NCAA teams is usually between 50 to 60 points.

Scoring 30+ in NCAA is almost like scoring 50+ in an NBA game, which shows how tough it is to score high in NCAA.

Today, Arjun dropped another 30+, showcasing his versatile offensive skills and thrilling the fans with his gameplay.

Fans love to see a genius at work!

"Insane scoring performance tonight. Arjun was 6 for 7 from beyond the arc, 4 for 5 on two-pointers, and perfect from the free-throw line, 4 for 4. He really showed off his scoring efficiency."

"Arjun didn't dunk much today,even his two-pointers were mostly mid-range shots. He really showcased his shooting skills."

"You could tell Arjun was confident in his shooting, especially when he was up against James. He didn't hesitate to take him on."

"Besides his scoring, Arjun also showed some great passing skills."

"Based on tonight's performance, Arjun lived up to our expectations. We'll keep an eye on him and hope our viewers continue to support his growth," the commentator summarized.

James's defense wasn't bad, but today he just got schooled by Arjun.

In the end, the game finished at 87 to 60.

Arizona's fans left the arena looking totally dejected.

Meanwhile, UCLA's fans were ecstatic, celebrating the victory.

Beating this team means UCLA is likely to sweep the tournament and dominate the PAC-12 with no real challengers.

As long as they keep their form and don't slump in the championship, the title is theirs to lose!

UCLA fans aren't just satisfied with a conference championship,their eyes are set on March Madness!

The national championship!

For UCLA fans, the real competition in the PAC-12 doesn't stir much excitement anymore.

They're looking forward to UCLA taking on traditional powerhouses like UNC, Duke, UConn, and Memphis.

These are the real rivals UCLA needs to beat.

After the game, Arjun waved and acknowledged the UCLA fans who had traveled to support the team.

His teammates came over to high-five and hug him.

Coach Howland was visibly thrilled.

Everything about UCLA changed for the better since Arjun joined the Bruins.

It wasn't just tonight,Arjun had been instrumental in many victories.

Howland said to Arjun, "You're my number one pick in my book."

Arjun smiled and replied, "Thanks for the compliment, Coach."

Arjun's brilliance wasn't just about his own skills,it was also because Howland wasn't afraid to let him shine.

Howland gave Arjun plenty of room to perform, especially the green light to shoot at will.

Although he was a point guard, Howland always encouraged Arjun to take his shots. Otherwise, where would all those slick threes come from?

In NCAA games, college coaches have absolute control over the team.

Players don't have the kind of clout they do in the NBA. If they did and acted up, they'd be benched, and that could ruin them.

Of course, if NCAA coaches were too harsh, they'd ruin their reputations and no talented players would want to play for them.

Arjun's rising fame and skill display were closely tied to Howland's management.

Arjun always maintained respect for Coach Howland.

Not every college coach is willing to give a chance to a newcomer.

...

On basketball forums, fans were buzzing with excitement.

Today marked Arjun's debut on national television.

Arjun became the brightest star on the court.

"Arjun scores 30+, leading UCLA to a big win!"

"Will Arjun be the first Indian guard in the NBA?"

"Long awaited, the hope of Indian basketball!"

"Indian national team to invite Arjun for the Olympics!"

Fans who watched the game left supportive messages on news articles and posts.

It had been a long time since fans saw an Indian guard dominate like this.

With the Olympics approaching, Arjun's emergence was timely.

Despite being from a lesser-known college, Arjun became the core player against top-tier schools with strong players, showcasing his immense talent.

Even though Arjun was just a college student, fans had high hopes for his future.

They could see that Arjun was stronger than the point guards in the INBL.

Fans were also digging into Arjun's past, eager to learn everything about him.

...

"See that? Boss, this guy is just that good."

Turning off the TV, Kupchak said to his boss, Jim Buss.

"He's really good, scores, assists, but how could we possibly get him with a lottery pick?" Jim Buss said.

Arjun made playing look too easy, which felt somewhat unreal to Jim Buss.

"He's projected as a lottery pick now, but that could change. The real question is, can you get him?" Kupchak said.

"I'd like to, but it won't come cheap, I need to think about it," Jim Buss replied.

If Arjun's draft position was more than just a lottery pick, the Lakers would have to offer a huge trade package, and it would still be tough to pull off.

Arjun's style suggested he could be a franchise cornerstone, and those types of players are usually picked by teams with high draft picks, often weaker teams.

The Lakers weren't exactly weak, but they weren't strong either, making their draft position awkward. Trading up without giving up key players would be difficult.

Now, it was a matter of weighing if it was worth it.

"Alright, no worries, we'll keep an eye on him during next year's playoffs," Kupchak said.

Kupchak knew the boss was tempted,they just had to wait and see!