logo
Alex Caruso said LeBron James and Rajon Rondo taught him how to see plays before they happen: "It's like chess… they're two moves ahead"

Alex Caruso said LeBron James and Rajon Rondo taught him how to see plays before they happen: "It's like chess… they're two moves ahead"

Yahoo2 days ago

On his appearance on "The Old Man and The Three" podcast in 2021, Alex Caruso broke down the core of elite defense. According to him, the best defenders aren't simply reacting; they're predicting.
AC explained how reading the game before it unfolds allows a player to be in the right spot without hesitation. He credited that insight to two of the sharpest minds he's shared the court with: LeBron James and Rajon Rondo.
Caruso's chess lessons
These days, Caruso is a key veteran for the Oklahoma City Thunder, helping guide one of the NBA's youngest teams to a historic regular season record.
Advertisement
However, his rise to this leadership began much more modestly when he entered the league as an undrafted two-way player with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although the Texas native was "already" 23 when he made his NBA debut in 2017, he was still finding his way at the highest level. For players in that situation, having experienced mentors is invaluable. Luckily, Caruso had not just one but two of the smartest minds in basketball to guide him: James and Rondo.
Together, they won an NBA championship in the 2020 bubble. Along the way, Alex wasn't just watching their skills — he was studying their mental approach.
James and Rondo didn't simply play; they controlled every moment on the court. Their talent to anticipate plays, guide teammates with clear communication, and stay mentally several steps ahead was like watching a masterful game of chess, the "Bald Mamba" said.
Advertisement
"They're just so smart, and seeing them operate for a couple of years, and seeing how they would communicate, think, point, and tell people where to go before stuff happened … it's like chess, right? They're two moves ahead," noted the 31-year-old.
Related: Walt Frazier admits NBA players were afraid to lift weights back in the day: "Basketball players thought it would affect their shot"
Caruso is always one step ahead on defense
When raving about Bron and Rajon on the podcast, Alex mentioned that he's tried to pick up on how they read plays before they actually happen. It's safe to say the 6'5" shooting guard has done this with great success in the years that followed, as it's become a signature part of his high-IQ defensive game.
Advertisement
Caruso's growth as a top defender shows not just in his reputation as a 2023 All-Defensive First Team player but also in the stats. He ranks in the top 10 in deflections this season, clearly showing his ability to break up plays before they fully develop.
"If you have to think about what's going on, you're going to be a half-second slow because you have to process it," he said, adding that even being just 0.7 seconds faster can make a real difference — whether it's moving the right way or turning to cover someone.
"You gotta know what the other guys wanna do first of all," emphasized the former Chicago Bull.
As AC explained, this anticipation also helps him spot opponents' fakes or predict where they might move on the court, sometimes even before they realize it themselves.
Advertisement
"It's a lot of like recognizing what's happening and what you think's gonna happen," he said.
Naturally, shutting down opponents also depends on length, size and quick feet for lateral movement, as the "Bald Mamba" pointed out. But the mental side of it all is just as important, and he shows that better than most players in today's NBA.
Related: "It's basically like college but no fun" — Alex Caruso on why there's no asterisk next to the Lakers' 2020 NBA Championship

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Basketball fans are pissed about the Finals' court design. But there's a reason it's so plain
Basketball fans are pissed about the Finals' court design. But there's a reason it's so plain

Fast Company

time40 minutes ago

  • Fast Company

Basketball fans are pissed about the Finals' court design. But there's a reason it's so plain

The look of the NBA Finals basketball court is being reconsidered, and we could have the fans to thank. At Game 2 last Friday, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder played on the Thunder's home court. The 'Thunder Blue' court shows the team logo at half court and also features logos for Paycom Center, the arena. What it didn't have was any indication this was a championship game. No 'NBA Finals' logo, no Larry O'Brien Trophy. Unlike the in-season NBA Cup, which got 30 all-new, fully painted courts designed by artist Victor Solomon last fall, the Pacers and Thunder are playing the NBA Finals on their regular courts. It's a matter of logistics and the quick turnaround of the games, but fans say it robs the games of a special design detail. Friday's game was broadcast with virtual Finals logos shown on the court for fans watching at home, but viewers complained about technical glitches and compared the look of the virtual trophy decal to an emoji. One social media user likened the busy floor design packed with virtual decals for corporate sponsorships to a NASCAR hood. Mid-game, the broadcast swapped out the emoji-like virtual trophy logo for a script 'Finals' logo. The poorly received court had fans wishing for an elevated design for the Finals. One reason the NBA Finals doesn't have any physical on-court branding for the series is because the NBA doesn't use decals on its courts to maintain the integrity of the playing surface. That's not just in the Finals, but all season long, and it's been that way since 2014. Instead, team logos and other elements like sponsor logos are painted on, or virtual logos can be added. 'One of the reasons we moved away from the logos on the courts is—whether it was perception or reality—there was a sense that maybe the logos added some slipperiness to the court,' NBA commissioner Adam Silver said before Game 2. But painting takes time. Making a custom court involves building, sanding, painting, and drying, which would take too long for the NBA's quick-turn Finals schedule. There was less than a week between this year's semifinals and Game 1. Since 2021, the NBA has added virtual Finals logos on the court for viewers at home as a workaround, and it's found other ways to bring in NBA Finals branding into the game, including logos on uniform jerseys, warmups, basket stanchions, courtside signage, and game balls. Still, Silver said he understood the fans' disappointment. 'I think for a media-driven culture, whether it's people watching live or seeing those images on social media, it's nice when you're looking back on highlights and they stand out because you see that trophy logo or some other indication that it's a special event,' he said recently at an event. 'So, we'll look at it.' The time commitment involved in making basketball courts presents a challenge, but Silver suggested there still might be a solution. 'Maybe there's a way around it,' he said.

This hidden detail in the Milwaukee Brewers logo was worthy of a ‘Jeopardy!' clue
This hidden detail in the Milwaukee Brewers logo was worthy of a ‘Jeopardy!' clue

Fast Company

timean hour ago

  • Fast Company

This hidden detail in the Milwaukee Brewers logo was worthy of a ‘Jeopardy!' clue

Two hidden letters embedded inside a Major League Baseball team's logo were clues on Jeopard y! And if you didn't know their secret meaning before, don't worry—because some of their own players and fans didn't either. The clue in the 'Logo-A-Go-Go' category for $200 was: 'Some players have been on this MLB team for quite some time before noticing that its ball-and-glove logo forms the letters M and B.' Contestant Ted Nyman gave the correct response: 'Who are the Milwaukee Brewers?' — Richard (@ifiwasrichard) June 9, 2025 The Brewers announced a rebrand in 2019 for the club's 50th anniversary. The team brought back an old logo first used in 1978 that cleverly placed a lowercase B underneath a letter M to form a baseball mitt out of the team nickname's initials—and they're hidden in plain sight. It's a concept by Tom Meindel, a former art history student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire who submitted the design to a team logo contest. The contest was open to the public, and out of nearly 2,000 submissions, Meindel's logo won. (He received $2,000 for his work.) That the Brewers revived his classic ball-in-glove logo for their 50th anniversary is a testament to the logo's simplicity and proof that nostalgia sells in sports. You can't unsee the hidden M and B in the Brewers logo once you see them. But like the Jeopardy! clue said, it's not always obvious at first glance, including to the team's own fans and players. 'I had actually been in the organization for probably five years before I figured it out,' right fielder Ryan Braun admitted in 2019. And in an open poll that year on what was then called Twitter, the Brewers team account asked: 'How old were you when you realized the glove is also an 'm' and a 'b'?' And the responses were 39.1% for 'Always known,' 31.4% for 'Far too late in life,' and 29.5% for 'Wait. What?!'

Aaron Rodgers says continuing to play football was ‘best for my soul' as he reveals he's now married
Aaron Rodgers says continuing to play football was ‘best for my soul' as he reveals he's now married

CNN

timean hour ago

  • CNN

Aaron Rodgers says continuing to play football was ‘best for my soul' as he reveals he's now married

After months of speculation, Aaron Rodgers finally signed a deal to become the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback last week and set up another fascinating chapter in his Hall of Fame career. The 41-year-old inked a one-year, $13.6 million dollar contract with the Steelers in an attempt to bring Super Bowl success back to a franchise which has gone 16 years without a Vince Lombardi Trophy and 14 years since their last appearance in the season-ending game; coincidentally, it was Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers who beat the Steelers in their last Super Bowl appearance in 2011. On his first day of mandatory minicamp in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Rodgers said that despite being the oldest quarterback in the league, he's still playing because it's what he wants to do. 'For my ego, I don't need it to keep playing,' Rodgers told reporters. 'A lot of decisions that I've made over my career and life from strictly the ego – even if they turn out well – are always unfulfilling. 'But the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling. So this was a decision that was best for my soul. I felt like being here with coach (Mike Tomlin) and the guys they got here and the opportunity here was best for me. I'm excited to be here.' Rodgers' signing saga divided many given the length of time it took – most notably, Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw said he didn't want the former Packers and New York Jets star anywhere near the team – but with the four-time NFL MVP at the helm, the Steelers look a formidable outfit. He is coming off two disappointing seasons with the Jets, including one which was lost to a torn Achilles tendon just four plays into his first year with the franchise. Although he failed to have the success his signing was meant to bring to Gang Green, Rodgers still showed glimpses of producing like a top-level quarterback last year. Now, he joins up with Tomlin and an offense led by wide receiver DK Metcalf, who joined in the offseason. Before Rodgers' signing, videos on social media showed the pair working out in California. Rodgers – who also revealed on Tuesday that he got married this offseason – was complimentary of Metcalf after his first day of practice with the team, but highlighted head coach Tomlin as the main reason he decided to join. 'I've gone against him over the years. The way that the conversations went between him and I, whenever it was in March or April and the last Sunday when I called him was some of the coolest conversations I had in the game,' he said. 'So he's a big reason of why I'm here and I'm excited to play for him.' While Steelers fans might be excited at the prospect of Rodgers playing in the Steel City, other members of the NFL are enthusiastic about it for a different reason. Myles Garrett – who plays for the Steelers' AFC North rivals, the Cleveland Browns – was asked about Rodgers' addition to the division on Tuesday and his answer was unequivocal. 'What do I think about it? I think it's a good opportunity to put him in the graveyard,' Garrett told reporters. Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, is famous for his extravagant Halloween decorations. He has decorated the front yard of his house as a graveyard filled with tombstones adorned with the names of every quarterback he has sacked over his career. In 2021, Garrett wore a Grim Reaper-style costume with a cloak emblazoned with the names of the quarterbacks he'd sacked. Garrett's first opportunity to add Rodgers to that list comes in Week 6 as the Browns travel to Pittsburgh before Cleveland hosts the Steelers in Week 17.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store