Kaluma puts his hand up

Arthur Kaluma’s NBA dream may be on ice.

He is doing everything he can to ensure it doesn’t completely freeze. Kaluma was signed by the LA Lakers G League side—South Bay Lakers—after passing off-season trials and impressing in the NBA Summer League.

This past Saturday, Kaluma had his most impressive outing for South Bay yet, coming off the bench to drain a game-high 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting while nailing six three-pointers.

South Bay defeated the Western City Capitanes 125-95 to enhance their quest for playoff qualification, with Kaluma's 28-minute cameo being as productive as they come. Kaluma was so confident in his shooting stroke that he showed no hesitation every time he received the ball on the perimeter.

Arthur Kaluma #47 of the South Bay Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Mexico City Capitanes January 24, 2026 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California. (AFP photo)

The 6ft7 forward has always struggled from three-point range, which, as much as anything, prevented him from going into the NBA draft.

Kaluma was a top 25 high-school player in the US and ended his first year in college at Creighton looking like a future NBA player. But two more seasons in college hoops, at Kansas and Texas, failed to deliver the improvement required to go to the NBA.

But Kaluma must be credited for going to the G League, which, though often a backdoor to the NBA, requires immense effort to graduate from. Kaluma will have to make huge strides to eventually join the LA Lakers roster or that of any other NBA team.

But if he continues to stroke it from three-point range as he did against the Capitanes, that will be a matter of if and not when.