When it comes to flying the Black, Yellow, and Red flag outside the Pearl of Africa, the Ugandan basketball fraternity boasts a number of standout figures.
At the very top of that list is team manager Albert Ahabwe. Though his work takes place off the court—focusing on logistics rather than scoring points or making blocks—he ensures that the Silverbacks secure the best talent available to don the national jersey.
A couple of years ago, Ahabwe introduced Arthur Kaluma to Ugandan basketball fans. Everyone instantly fell in love with the gem of a player: a fearless young athlete who gave everything on the court for his country.
Lightheartedly, Ahabwe once told the media that Kaluma possessed everything required to make it all the way to the NBA—the premier basketball league in the world.
As you read this, Ahabwe is likely one of the happiest men on the planet. His belief has paid off, and that dream is now becoming a reality.
“The best news I’ve seen in ages,” was all he could say in response to morning reports from credible American news outlets that the Los Angeles Lakers intend to sign Kaluma.
The Lakers officially signed forward Ziaire Williams on Sunday and agreed to a one-year contract with Matisse Thybulle on Monday. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, they also awarded forward Arthur Kaluma a two-way contract on Monday following his strong showing during Summer League play.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are signing F Arthur Kaluma to a two-way NBA deal, Todd Ramasar and Mike Simonetta of Life Sports Agency tell ESPN. Kaluma, who spent 2025–26 in the Lakers’ G League program, averaged nearly 19 points on 61% shooting and 50% from 3-point range in the Las Vegas Summer League.”
Kaluma enters his second professional season after going undrafted out of Kansas/Texas a year ago. As the 6-foot-7 forward delivered one productive performance after another in Summer League play this month, Lakers fans actively clamored for the franchise to secure him on a two-way contract.
Last season, combining the G League Tip-Off Tournament and the regular season, Kaluma averaged 13.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game, while shooting 55.2% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc.
Having played with the South Bay Lakers last year and featured on their Summer League roster, Kaluma is already well-integrated into the organization’s ecosystem. With a full year of professional development under his belt, he successfully showcased his growth in Las Vegas.
“There’s a certain hunger that you have to have in order to be successful in the G League,” Kaluma noted. “I feel like the drive I had during my first year pushed me this summer to really get better, work on my game, and take full advantage of the opportunity to perform at Summer League.”
That hunger defines a player like Kaluma: he is determined to carve out a role, remaining ready for any chance thrown his way. When his moments arrived during Summer League, he delivered.
Everyone at Summer League has something to prove. Top draft picks want to justify the hype, second-year players want to prove they have outgrown the event, and two-way candidates are fighting either to keep their spots or earn standard NBA contracts.
Note: Portions of this article originally appeared on LeBron Wire and Yahoo Sports.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lakers-signing-arthur-kaluma-two-032247876.html
