The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a great start in the Las Vegas Summer League, picking up two dominant wins thus far against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks. On Saturday night against Dallas, the team was without first-round pick Cameron Carr due to a right thumb injury, so Arthur Kaluma stepped up in a major way in the victory.
Out of the gates, Kaluma was not shy about letting it fly from 3-point range and it resulted in six made triples in total, shooting 11-for-16 from the field and finishing with 34 points. After the win, Kaluma discussed his big night and the areas he felt comfortable.
“Most comfortable on the court? Man, whenever you need me, I’m not gonna lie to you,” Kaluma said. “I pride myself on the defensive end and I know I got hot offensively, but the shot was just falling today. My game is 3-and-D. I lock up on defense, I hit open shots, I got hot today and not gonna let it try to get to my head.”
Before this opportunity, Kaluma spent last season with the South Bay Lakers and he shared what his biggest takeaway was playing in the G League.
“The G [League] can get grimy,” he admitted. “It’s a time where everybody is trying to fight for a position and there’s a certain hunger you have to have to be successful in the G. I feel like that drive that I had my first year in it, pushed me into this Summer League to really get better and work on my game and come here to have the opportunity to perform at Summer League.
Kaluma’s drive certainly got him to this point of dominating in Summer League and playing with extreme confidence in his abilities. He spoke about his growth over the last year that has gotten him to this point.
“I feel like I’ve been able to move my feet a lot better on defense, my shot obviously feels good,” Kaluma said. “But my understanding of the game after having a year of it under my belt, I feel a lot more comfortable out there.”
Arthur Kaluma appreciates opportunity in Summer League
Summer League is similar to the G League, in terms of undrafted, two-way, or Exhibit 10 players trying to make a name for themselves and Kaluma wants to enjoy it while also seizing the moment.
“Definitely, people come to Summer League for an opportunity. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity [last year] because I had to go home with an injury. But, just being able to come out here and perform at this level has been amazing. All glory to God.”
Following the Lakers’ win against the Mavericks, there has been discussion surrounding whether Kaluma deserves a two-way contract. If he continues his strong play, L.A. will have to make a tough decision or risk another team picking him up.
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