Arjun's been absolutely dominating in the PAC-12 conference.
He quickly became a key player on the team, even surpassing Afflalo in terms of influence on the court, earning Coach Howland's trust.
Even Kobe noticed Arjun's performance.
On "Detail with Kobe Bryant," Kobe talked about Arjun.
Kobe said, "Arjun's a fantastic rookie. His offense and passing are top-notch. I make time to watch his games."
In LA, Kobe's approval isn't easy to come by. His praise for Arjun really shows that Arjun has been turning heads lately.
"Kobe, where do you think he ranks in the NCAA?" the host asked.
"In the top three of the players I've seen," Kobe replied.
"And the other two?" the host pressed.
"Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. It's not that others aren't good, but from the NCAA games I've watched, honestly, I don't watch many, haha," Kobe explained.
"What do you think of Arjun's skills?" the host inquired.
"First off, he's tall, then there's his slick handling, super quick speed, and his dribbling doesn't falter even in tough matchups. His finishing at the rim and shooting skills are NBA level," Kobe detailed.
"If the Lakers picked him as their starting point guard, would you be on board?" the host asked.
"Absolutely, he'd fit right into that role," Kobe nodded without hesitation.
Kobe never really had a top-tier point guard as a teammate,he often had to solve problems on his own.
Kobe felt that while Arjun might not yet be a top NBA point guard, he's more than enough for the Lakers' starting point guard.
"How about this, set a goal for Arjun to see if he can meet it by the end of the season," the host suggested.
"Top three picks, that's my expectation for him," Kobe said with a smile.
Kobe's high expectations for Arjun quickly spread.
Even LA fans thought it was a bit much.
Arjun was indeed outstanding, but not quite top-three-pick outstanding.
The top two draft prospects were Oden and Durant.
Both were big names since high school and continued to dominate in college.
Durant was averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
Oden was pulling in 21 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game.
Not only were their stats slightly better than Arjun's, but in terms of raw talent, Arjun didn't have an edge over them.
Durant had incredible physical gifts, standing 6 feet 9 inches with a 7-foot-5 wingspan.
He wasn't afraid of physical play and could score or dunk even when off-balance, sometimes over players over 7 feet tall.
His ball-handling was smooth, with quick crossovers, spin moves, and pull-up jumpers typically seen in guards.
His shooting was incredibly consistent, scoring from anywhere without getting his jump shots blocked.
With the playmaking and passing vision of a point guard, Durant could energize the whole team's offense.
Oden was a freak of nature, standing 7 feet tall in shoes, with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and a 9-foot-4 standing reach. His vertical leap was 2 feet 8 inches from a standstill and 2 feet 10 inches with a run-up. He could sprint the length of the paint in 11.67 seconds and cover three-quarters of the court in just 3.27 seconds.
As a big man, he wasn't just tall and able to jump,he was also as fast and agile as smaller players.
On multiple draft sites, Oden was ranked above Durant as the number one pick.
Comparing Arjun to these two superstars made the media and fans think Kobe was overhyping him.
But Arjun tweeted, "Kobe's wrong because I'm aiming for number one, not just top three."
This bold statement didn't sit well with fans of Durant and Oden.
"After a few games, this guy thinks he's the king of the world."
"He's just been crushing newbies, no real challenge."
"Winning big just shows how much weaker the opponents are compared to UCLA. Nothing to brag about."
"Arjun, you're nowhere near Greg and Kevin."
"Arjun's good, but not high-pick good. It's disrespectful to other players."
"You've got talent, but you're not on their level yet. Stay humble."
"Nowadays, every player thinks too highly of themselves."
On social media, due to Kobe and Arjun's bold statements, Arjun faced quite a backlash.
Now that Arjun's in the spotlight, anything he says sparks media debate.
Arjun actually thrived under the spotlight,he had the chops to handle the pressure.
The ninth game was a California showdown.
UCLA was up against USC, also based in Los Angeles.
USC boasted two players with NBA prospects.
One was Nick Young, a 6-foot-7 forward, and the other was Gabe Pruitt, a 6-foot-4 guard.
Both were predicted to be first-round picks and were super scorers.
USC was also doing well this season, with a record of 7 wins and 1 loss, hot on UCLA's heels.
This game drew crowds from both teams, making this derby even more of a spectacle than a Lakers vs. Clippers matchup.
...
The fierce rivalry between the two teams goes way back.
The "Victory Bell" originally belonged to a locomotive of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company in California.
In 1939, UCLA alumni bought the bell, added a small cart to it, and presented it to UCLA's student body.
Since then, it became a symbol of victory for UCLA's teams.
However, the energetic students loved a bit of mischief. In 1941, USC students stole the Victory Bell...
UCLA students were furious!
But UCLA's retaliation was quite unique...
They ran over to the USC campus and sprayed their iconic Trojan statue with UCLA's blue paint...
Beyond this rivalry, there was also academic competition.
The two universities are close in proximity, and their rankings and profiles are quite similar, often competing for the same pool of students who sometimes receive offers from both.
This competition for resources and students spills over into sports, giving the universities a fierce rivalry.
In basketball history, the two schools are archenemies. When Kareem led UCLA to an incredible 88-2 record, one of those losses was to USC.
The loss to USC was quite a story. USC, wary of UCLA's strength and with no 24-second shot clock rule at the time, played keep-away once they were ahead, running down the clock to secure a win...
It was a victory, but not a glorious one.
Since then, every California derby has sparked intense confrontations between fans and players.
Trash-talking and brawls were common.
This time, the California derby was held at the Staples Center.
NBA stars like Kobe and Odom, along with a host of Hollywood celebrities, were courtside to add glamour to the event.