Ben Howland never expected Westbrook's defense and drive to be this strong.
He figured it was about time to give Westbrook more minutes on the court.
But that just made Collison, sitting on the bench, even more bitter.
The better his teammates performed, the more it highlighted how poor he was as last season's starting point guard.
Winning isn't scary, but not playing? That's awkward...
When UCLA was leading, it was always when Arjun and Westbrook were on the court.
That made Collison feel pretty lousy.
Westbrook's standout performance in the final moments didn't stop Arjun from being named the best player of the game.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
When the camera panned to Arjun, the fans in the stands were all chanting "MVP!"
Even Scarlett Johansson in the front row was blowing kisses to Arjun.
Arjun was on fire tonight, playing incredibly well.
"Arjun led UCLA in a slaughter against their arch-rivals, USC."
"Listen to the cheers in the Staples Center, tonight Arjun is the king of Los Angeles!"
The local LA commentator was shouting with excitement!
Arjun truly deserved the title of LA's king.
In this game, Arjun played 28 minutes, scoring a luxurious stat line of 25 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, and 4 turnovers.
Even though Afflalo scored the highest points of the game with 30, the brightest star was Arjun, with many of Afflalo's points coming from Arjun's assists.
Arjun's stats surprised those who were watching him play for the first time.
Isn't this just like the young LeBron or Magic?
Arjun didn't know his stats at first, but he was also surprised when he saw them.
Without realizing it, he could easily notch 20+10 stats in NCAA games now.
From an ordinary high school player to an NCAA star, Arjun's growth was even faster than he had anticipated.
Arjun felt his initial strategy was right.
Join the NCAA, showcase his skills, and quickly become the core player of the team.
Being the core player meant tactical setups and impressive stats.
With good stats and physical talent, entering the NBA would be smooth sailing!
After the game.
Scarlett came over and asked Arjun to send her the selfie they took before the game,her agent wanted her to tweet it.
Arjun was hot in LA right now, and people loved talking about him,Scarlett could ride that wave too.
Scarlett didn't refuse her agent's suggestion, which was also her way of giving Arjun her contact info.
American girls are pretty forward, and Arjun was used to it by now.
Lately, many girls at school had been finding various reasons to ask him out or send him suggestive messages.
Arjun's handsome face was definitely a magnet for the opposite sex.
Of course, Arjun knew that Scarlett giving him her contact didn't mean he could jump into bed with her...
If Arjun showed that kind of expectation, he'd probably get blocked by Scarlett instantly. What kind of handsome guys hadn't she seen before?
"Arjun, you're more mature than I thought," Scarlett said.
"And you're cuter than I thought," Arjun replied with a smile.
"Cute, that's an interesting description. You're the first to describe me that way."
"Do others just call you sexy?"
"Haha, you got it right."
...
The two of them chatted happily in the front row, and Arjun's maturity took Scarlett by surprise.
This scene was also captured by Charlie, a reporter from "Los Angeles Entertainment Weekly."
Charlie believed that both sports fans and movie fans would love this kind of gossip.
After the game ended, Nick Young and Gabe trudged back to the locker room, both in a foul mood.
Losing a crucial California derby in such a brutal fashion made it tough to face the USC fans.
Both were predicted to be drafted higher than Arjun.
But Arjun totally schooled them on the court!
Meanwhile, after chatting with Scarlett Johansson, Arjun also gave an interview to a TNT reporter.
Even though it was just a college game, the media's attention to NCAA basketball was as intense as the NBA.
The media were all over these young talents.
The TNT reporter asked, "Arjun, you played incredibly well today. Do you see yourself playing in the NBA in the future?"
Arjun responded, "It's not up to me, really. It's about whether the NBA teams think I've got what it takes. All I can do is stay focused and keep improving my impact on the court. What do you think, do I have a shot at getting drafted?"
Arjun's answer was mature, showing none of the blind confidence often seen in college players on camera.
The reporter replied, "Keep playing like this, and you'll definitely get picked."
...
...
Just as the reporter said, if Arjun keeps playing like this, getting drafted into the NBA shouldn't be a problem.
The California derby significantly boosted his draft stock.
Arjun didn't just showcase his offensive skills,he also proved his defensive prowess.
Balanced on both ends of the court, with stats and talent to back it up.
Draft prediction websites now placed Arjun in the middle of the second round.
Compared to other hot prospects, Arjun still had fewer games under his belt.
NBA drafting is complex,scouts need to see a lot of a player's games to ensure the team doesn't make a mistake.
More games show a player's consistency.
If a player has talent but hasn't played much, few teams are willing to take the risk.
This derby was a significant leap in Arjun's influence.
Arjun's Twitter followers were nearing the million mark.
Although Arjun had a lot of followers, he couldn't monetize through ads on Twitter due to NCAA's strict rules.
According to NCAA regulations, student athletes can't receive any compensation beyond scholarships.
Schools can't pay players wages or give them money in any form privately, and sponsors can't have financial dealings with players either.
If caught, both the school and the player would face severe penalties, including the possibility of the school losing eligibility for a year.
Many college players rush to join the NBA draft after their freshman year. Is it all just for the love of basketball?
For many, it's undoubtedly about the income.
Arjun had dreams, but financial factors played a part too.
Arjun didn't want to get sidetracked trying to make money,it would affect his basketball career.
Making money could wait until the NBA, where he'd have more opportunities to earn efficiently.
Despite his fame, Arjun was still living on a tight budget.
But being a long-term student, he didn't have much to spend on anyway.
Arjun also heard that Sunita, the wealthy girl, was about to join UCLA.
Looks like he might have a more comfortable time ahead.
...
For UCLA fans, Arjun brought excitement.
With more games, his performance became more stable.
He was nearly averaging a double-double per game.
A double-double from the perimeter is much more valuable than one from inside.
NBA stats might not look as exaggerated, but Arjun was still putting up all-star level numbers.
You can imagine just how strong Arjun's skills were.