Jan 29, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Arthur Kaluma (6) handles the ball as Mississippi Rebels guard Dre Davis (14) defends during the second half at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss.

In the Los Angeles Lakers’ Las Vegas NBA Summer League opener against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, former Texas Longhorns forward Arthur Kaluma only played eight minutes and did not record a point, rebound or assist.

Saturday was a different story.

Kaluma was valuable in the Lakers’ 94-81 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, logging 17 minutes and contributing dynamically as a two-way player.

Kaluma’s performance against the Pelicans

Kaluma was the first guy off the bench for the Lakers and he made his presence known early by converting two corner three pointers and a dunk.

He was effective in his 3-and-D identity as a versatile defender and efficient scorer. Kaluma totaled 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting, including 2 of 4 from three, also adding three rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Though the plus/minus stat has to be taken with a grain of salt, Kaluma did have the second-best rating amongst Lakers players at +12.

Kaluma showed a willingness to hustle on both sides of the ball, doing a great job of running the floor hard. He was oftentimes a threatening option in fast break transition scenarios, timing his movements well to either open up space for other attackers or be rewarded with points of his own.

“[Kaluma’s] just getting a rhythm,” said Lakers Summer League head coach Lindsey Harding postgame. “He played a little three-on-three yesterday to help with his rhythm, and he came out on fire. His threes were huge. His defense was amazing. And he’s a physical player. That’s what this game needs and he has the body for it. But he was great. He helped turn the game.”

Kaluma’s ability to guard one through five was apparent versus New Orleans. He looked comfortable in switch situations, for example guarding both point guard Jeremiah Fears and center Hunter Dickinson at moments.

He was not afraid to pick up full court, pressuring a smaller, speedier ball-handler far from the basket and staying in front of him at the perimeter, and remained a factor in the play even while manning a player off of the ball. What makes Kaluma so capable of defending almost anyone on the court is his footwork, physicality and awareness.

Despite primarily playing as a wing in this game, Kaluma has big man experience from his time in college, which enhances to his capacity to be a rim protector in addition to a perimeter defender.

Standing 6-7 with a 7-1 wingspan, he can contend as a shotblocker defensively and rebounder on both sides, even if his positioning is unfavorable. And weighing 225 pounds, his size can allow him to over-power most opponents in the paint offensively and finish through contact.

The drive that Kaluma brings did hurt him in the fouling department however. He accumulated eight fouls over the course of the game (10 is the fouling out number in the Summer League), seemingly due in part to the difference in officiating between college and the pros. Acclimating to the NBA style of physicality proves to be a crucial part of his transition to the professional level.

Saturday’s performance played into what Kaluma stated in the pre-draft process was going to be his role on an NBA floor.

“(Teams have) been telling me my calling card in the NBA is going to be playing defense and knocking down open shots,” Kaluma said in his Portland Trailblazers workout on June 10. “So every workout I’m in, that’s what I try to showcase — my ability to guard and my ability to bring energy and communicate.”

His strong suit is not on-ball shot creation, but being a reliable two-way player who capatilizes on scoring opportunities when he needs to and makes life more difficult for opponents.

Kaluma will look to continue showcasing his prowess on Monday as the Lakers face off against the Los Angeles Clippers in their third game of this year’s NBA Summer League.