Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world.
Here, Hollywood stars are a dime a dozen, and it's not uncommon to spot some real lookers at the games.
Once they show up, they become part of the spectacle, favorites of the cameras.
On this particular evening, with nothing better to do, Scarlett Johansson and a friend decided to catch this much-anticipated game.
Scarlett, only 22 this year, has been acting since she was a kid.
In 1994, Scarlett landed her first movie role in "North," playing a minor character, followed by roles in lesser-known films "Just Cause" and "If Lucy Fell."
In 1996, she played an orphan in "Manny & Lo," earning a nomination for Best Actress at the Independent Spirit Awards.
By 1997, not even 13, Scarlett received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Lead Actress for her role as an orphan in "Manny & Lo."
In 1998, acclaimed director Robert Redford cast her in "The Horse Whisperer" as the daughter of Kristin Scott Thomas, a girl who loses a leg. Despite mixed reviews for the film, Scarlett's performance was widely praised, earning her a nomination for the "Box Office Bomb Award" for Best Supporting Actress and several "Rising Star" accolades.
In 2003, she starred in Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation," which was a hit, and in 2004, she starred in "Girl with a Pearl Earring."
Both films earned her Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress in a Drama and a Comedy.
Now, Scarlett isn't exactly top-tier Hollywood, but she's definitely made a name for herself.
And thanks to her looks and figure, she's quite popular with the younger guys.
Arjun spotted her right away during warm-ups.
In his past life, Arjun knew Scarlett from watching the Avengers movies. As a regular guy, he'd admit he'd thought about her figure before.
But of course, Arjun wouldn't go as far as Durant, thinking about drinking her bathwater or anything weird like that.
Seeing the real Scarlett in person, Arjun's first thought was how petite she looked, around 5 feet 3 inches tall.
But after a closer look, he had to admit, she really did have a stunning figure... No wonder practically every guy falls for this type of girl.
No surprise Durant would joke about drinking her bathwater.
Unlike his teammates, who awkwardly continued their warm-ups, Arjun walked over to Scarlett.
"Hi Scarlett, I'm a big fan. Could we take a photo together?" Arjun asked politely.
"Of course," Scarlett Johansson nodded.
Arjun, handsome and sunny, and also a player on the court, showed his friendly side. As a public figure, she was used to being approached by fans at various events.
Arjun pulled out his phone, bowed his head slightly, and took a respectful photo with Scarlett.
"Arjun, I've heard a lot about you. I hope you perform well tonight. I'll be cheering for you from the stands," Scarlett said after they took the photo.
Arjun, looking good and acting all proper, didn't make her feel uncomfortable at all.
Scarlett was quite impressed with Arjun.
"Thanks! When I make it to the NBA, I'll send you one of my signed jerseys," Arjun replied with a smile.
"I'll look forward to that day," Scarlett said with a laugh.
Arjun then turned and walked away.
Arjun wasn't a simp,he didn't linger around asking for her number or anything like that after the photo.
After their brief interaction, Arjun went back to his training.
Even though it was just a simple request for a photo, Arjun's teammates were all in awe of his guts.
For these college guys, big stars like Scarlett Johansson feel worlds away. Especially someone of her goddess-like status, they'd get tongue-tied just trying to speak to her.
"Bro, did you get her number?"
"Does Scarlett smell as good as she looks?"
"Arjun, man, I'm so impressed."
"Let me see that selfie. Wow, you actually look pretty good in this."
"Man, you guys even look good together."
The team crowded around Arjun, curious to see the photo. Gossip like this was a rare treat for them. Every guy has his fantasies, especially a bunch of hormone-charged athletes.
"Nick Young and Gabe are gonna blow Arjun out of the water."
"UCLA's gonna lose for sure."
"UCLA all the way!"
"Who does Nick Young think he is?"
"Arjun, you're just a pretty face."
The California derby today was buzzing with excitement.
The Staples Center was divided, one side rooting for USC and the other for UCLA. The trash talk began even before the game started.
During a pre-game sideline interview, USC's head coach Pete Smith was asked how he planned to contain Arjun.
"We've got specific guys on him, might even double-team him. It's tricky defending such a tall point guard, but we'll do our best," Pete Smith said.
Most fans, used to seeing NBA stars scoring 30+ or 40+ points, looked down on a college player like Arjun who usually scored in the teens or twenties. So when Arjun claimed he'd surpass Durant and Oden, it rubbed many the wrong way.
Despite the public skepticism, professional coaches and scouts knew Arjun's dominance in the game was on par with those stars, especially evident to coaches in the PAC-12.
This season's UCLA team hadn't changed much from last, just added Arjun, but their games seemed much easier. In their eight-game winning streak, they usually wrapped up the game by halftime, with Arjun often sitting out the second half because the victory was already secured.
This showed UCLA's superiority over their opponents.
USC, though not bad in their record, often won by narrow margins. Pete Smith hadn't figured out how to limit Arjun,their point guards were just too overmatched.
Before the game started, UCLA's coach Ben Howland laid out the strategy: "Guys, don't let the derby get to you. Just play our game, and we'll crush them. If you're in trouble, pass it back to Arjun, create some space, and let him do his thing."
Howland's trust in Arjun now even surpassed that in Afflalo.
Afflalo was performing well, averaging 17 points, but he was primarily a scorer and didn't have the same ability to elevate his teammates like Arjun did.
Moreover, Afflalo lacked Arjun's leadership qualities.
Afflalo never saw himself as the team leader, and he was quite content with Arjun's rise, never vying for the top spot. His laid-back nature and playing style as a shooter, preferring shooting over driving, meant he didn't clash with Arjun for ball-handling duties.
This also helped avoid any potential internal conflicts within the UCLA Bruins.
"OK!"
"We will win!"
Westbrook, now the third point guard, didn't get much playtime but was always ready to go in. Even if he didn't play, he kept cheering his teammates on.
The UCLA bench was lively, thanks to Westbrook's leadership.
Soon, the pre-game rituals concluded, and with the cheers of 20,000 fans, the game began.
UCLA's lineup had Arjun and Afflalo in the backcourt, with three rotating role players. USC countered with Gabe and Nick Young.
UCLA's center won the tip-off, directing the ball to Arjun.
Arjun quickly advanced the ball up the court.
USC's defense was quick to retreat, all falling back to the paint to deny Arjun any disruptive drives.
"Hey, looks like USC came prepared,they know Arjun likes to drive early on," ESPN commentator Jeff Van Gundy noted.
Seeing the defense tighten, Arjun adjusted his dribble just a step outside the three-point line and launched a long-range shot.
The NCAA three-point line, much closer than the NBA's, made this shot a breeze for Arjun under no defensive pressure.
This shot was easy for Arjun, but it caught the audience by surprise.
The ball swished through the net!
"Swish! A dagger from downtown!"
3-0.
"Nice shot! Looks like USC forgot about Arjun's recent display of long-range shooting," Mike Breen added.
Arjun flashed three fingers on each hand towards the sky, then slashed them down in his signature celebration gesture!