Arjun's game made waves again.
Meanwhile, the University of Texas just wrapped up their game.
Texas' star player, Kevin Durant, scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but unfortunately, they lost the game.
Durant is now one of the top picks for the draft, standing at 6 feet 8.5 inches but with the skills of a point guard and the touch of a shooter. He's currently the NCAA's leading scorer and ranks third in rebounds per game.
Durant is used to being swarmed by reporters after games.
"KD, did you catch Arjun's game?" This time, the question from the ESPN reporter was about someone else.
"I've seen a few of his games,he's good. What's up? Did he pull off something big tonight?" Durant said, wiping sweat from his forehead with a towel.
Lately, fans have been fiercely debating online who's better between Arjun and Durant.
Being a guy with a few burner accounts on the internet, KD has even jumped into the fray himself, clashing with Arjun's fans.
Truth be told, KD has watched not just one, but almost every game Arjun has played.
What Durant prides himself on over Arjun is his higher scoring average.
To others, Arjun's scoring might seem impressive, but to KD, it's just not on the same level.
"Tonight, Arjun scored 30 points, helping UCLA to another victory," the reporter said.
30 points, damn! That's higher than what I scored today.
Durant paused for a moment before responding, "Good for him. I hope to face him in March Madness. I'd like to go head-to-head."
The reporter pressed on, "Where do you think Arjun would stand if he enters the draft?"
Durant shrugged, "Sorry, I'm not too focused on the later picks. I'm more interested in where I'll end up."
That was a bit cheeky of Durant.
Regardless, Durant is a top-three pick, and he stands a good chance of being the number one pick.
As for Arjun, he's still far from the top three...
After answering a few questions, Durant turned and left.
Though Durant doesn't face many challenges, Arjun is definitely one of them.
If they meet in March Madness, Durant plans to show him what he's made of.
Arjun himself didn't expect his 30+ point game to cause such a stir.
Especially back home, where fans are now calling for him to be picked for the national team for the Olympics.
After this game, the UCLA fan base went wild again, and more reporters gathered around Arjun's dorm and the training facility.
NCAA basketball is crazy. Even as a college student, if you perform well on the court, you'll be in the spotlight.
That's why many NBA players aren't too flustered by the media once they go pro.
They were stars in college and got used to the media attention.
Having experience with cameras and flashes in the NBA comes naturally to them.
At the training facility, a reporter got permission from Ben Howland to approach Arjun.
It's clear that not just any reporter is allowed to interview key players like Arjun,you need connections.
The reporter, clearly on good terms with Ben Howland, asked, "Arjun, are you planning to enter the draft this year?"
Arjun shrugged, "I'll decide after the college season. Right now, my focus is on getting into March Madness and leading my team to a championship."
The reporter continued, "A lot of people compare you to Kevin Durant. Who do you think is more dominant?"
Arjun really got a taste of how reporters can stir the pot.
Their provocative questions can spark conflicts between players.
But Arjun isn't one to get easily riled up. Despite the hype online, he and Durant didn't have any real beef.
No need to make enemies unnecessarily.
"We're different types of players, playing different positions. It's not really comparable," Arjun responded.
The reporter pushed further, "You tweeted recently that you're the best player. Does that mean you think you're better than Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, and Michael Beasley?"
With Arjun's draft stock soaring and the buzz around him at an all-time high, every question seemed designed to provoke.
Deep down, Arjun wanted to say yes, but he knew better than to respond without tact. "I believe in myself, and they probably believe they're the best too. Ultimately, it's up to the fans to decide."
After fielding a few more targeted questions, Arjun excused himself, saying he had to go.
The relentless probing by the reporters was starting to wear him down.
These journalists were masters at spinning stories and taking things out of context, all in the name of ratings. They'd stop at nothing.
Arjun tried to avoid facing such media pressure before he was strong enough.
After all, college-era Oden, Durant, and Beasley were no jokes.
Arjun's overall rating was 79, and he believed that in NBA 2K, their ratings wouldn't be lower than his, especially Durant's.
Two years into the NBA, Durant had already become a superstar.
For the next decade, he'd be one of the top scorers in the league.
Although confident, Arjun wasn't arrogant enough to think he could dominate Durant right now.
Imagine talking big before the game and then losing. How embarrassing would that be?
...
After defeating the University of Arizona, UCLA was set to face the University of Washington.
Before the game, Washington's hotshot rookie, Alex, boasted, "I'm going to serve Arjun a big helping of American-style blocks."
During the game, Arjun exploited Alex's slow pivot, dunking on him twice.
Alex got posterized!
After that game, Alex's draft stock dropped by five spots.
Scouts said, "Against a top-tier offensive guard, he failed to prove his ability to protect the rim."
When reporters asked Alex about the dunks, his embarrassment was palpable. "I don't mind it. Getting dunked on just shows I don't give up on defense easily, even when I'm out of position."
Arjun didn't just affect Alex's draft position.
Other PAC-12 prospects who faced Arjun also saw their draft positions drop significantly.
Brooks, Nick Young, Gabe, Harden, Alex...
After facing Arjun, these rookies each dropped an average of three spots—a brutal hit.
So much so that many rookies were reluctant to go head-to-head with Arjun.
As the season progressed.
Unbeknownst to many, Arjun's draft stock on scouting websites had crept into the top ten.
He was now one of the top guards in the NCAA, with only Ohio State's Mike Conley ranked ahead of him.
Arjun continued his meteoric rise up the draft boards...
And soon, it was Christmas.
The NCAA didn't have a "Christmas Day Battle" like the NBA, and everyone was off, including the Bruins for two weeks.
Christmas was a time for family, and even Westbrook went home to be with his.
As Arjun was figuring out how to spend his Christmas break.
His phone rang. It was Sunita.