LeBron James showers high praise on Alex Caruso, calling him Oklahoma City Thunder's defensive X-factor ahead of NBA Finals
Image viaWith the 2025 NBA Finals tipping off Thursday night at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, all eyes are locked on the clash between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, two teams hungry for their first championship.
But while stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton dominate the headlines,
LeBron James
has singled out a different name as a potential game-changer. On the eve of the Finals, James delivered high praise for his former Lakers teammate, Alex Caruso, calling him the ultimate defensive Swiss Army knife, one that could tilt the series in OKC's favor.
LeBron James highlights Alex Caruso's championship value
During a Wednesday episode of the '
Mind the Game
' podcast, hosted alongside
Steve Nash
,
LeBron James
didn't mince words when breaking down Oklahoma City's playoff success.
The four-time NBA champion took a moment to celebrate a player he believes embodies everything a championship team needs.
'Then they come off the bench with one of my favorite teammates of all time in Alex Caruso,' James said.
When Nash chimed in with 'He's a DOG,' James quickly agreed and expanded on it.
'He's like the ultimate Swiss Army knife. We've seen him guard Giannis, the Joker, ANT, Julius Randle, Jamal Murray, all in this postseason,' James noted.
'You check the plus/minus after the game, and AC might have five points, three rebounds, two assists, and his plus/minus will be a god damn +17.'
Alex Caruso
, who joined the NBA as an undrafted rookie in 2016 and later won a title with James on the Lakers in 2020, has become a staple of OKC's defensive identity. That was clear in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, where LeBron broke down one of his favorite moments.
Image via Nathaniel S. Butler/ Getty Images
'When I was watching the game yesterday,' James recalled, 'AC was guarding Anthony Edwards on the wing.
Edwards got middle, something you try to prevent, but AC didn't stop. After the help defense rotated, he sprinted all the way to the corner to contest a three. That type of effort wins games.'
Alex Caruso's elite defense and playoff hustle fuel Oklahoma City Thunder's Finals push
The 31-year-old guard has carved his career out of hustle plays, anticipation, and grit. In 2024–25, he averaged 7.1 points over 54 games and earned his second consecutive All-Defensive Team honor. His playoff numbers, 8.8 points, 2.5 assists, 2.3 rebounds, might not leap off the page, but it's the impact behind those stats that matters.
In a previous interview on The Old Man & the Three, Caruso credited LeBron and Rajon Rondo for shaping his defensive instincts.
'They're just so smart,' Caruso said. 'Watching them operate was like chess, they were two moves ahead.'
As the
Oklahoma City Thunder
prepares to host Game 1, head coach Mark Daigneault will lean on Caruso to shadow top Pacers like
Tyrese Haliburton
and
Pascal Siakam
. According to LeBron, that's where the series could shift. 'With that kind of effort,' James said on the podcast, 'they're going to keep winning.'
Also Read:
'I just played, that was my training': LeBron James reveals shocking truth about his early basketball days and how streetball forged his NBA legacy
When LeBron James breaks down your hustle frame by frame on a podcast, calls you the 'ultimate Swiss Army knife,' and once coached you on the floor, you know you're doing something right. Alex Caruso may not light up the scoreboard. Still, with defensive IQ, relentless effort, and deep postseason experience, he could be the heartbeat of the Thunder's championship push. As the Finals tip off Thursday night in Oklahoma City, Caruso's presence might just be the X-factor that keeps OKC marching toward history.
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