4 days ago
LeBron James Makes Strong Alex Caruso Statement Before NBA Finals
LeBron James Makes Strong Alex Caruso Statement Before NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The NBA finals tip off Thursday night from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, where the hometown Thunder host the Indiana Pacers. It's a winner-take-all, best-of-seven series and both teams are chasing their first-ever NBA championship.
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With a break after the conclusion of the Western and Eastern Conference finals, analysts and fans had time to dissect every matchup. Over a full series, the strategies and adjustments will be fascinating to watch.
It seems every NBA finals features a wildcard who makes a game-changing impact. For Oklahoma City, that player might be someone who's already been there and done that.
On the latest episode of the "Mind the Game" podcast, LeBron James made a strong statement about his former teammate, Alex Caruso.
James, joined by Steve Nash, praised Caruso's versatile defensive abilities.
'Then they come off the bench with one of my favorite teammates of all time in Alex Caruso.'
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When Nash chimed in and called Caruso a 'DOG,' LeBron doubled down.
'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.'
"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 [expletive] 17.' James added.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9). Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images
Later in the episode, James recalled one of his favorite plays from Oklahoma City's run to the finals.
"AC was guarding the ball on the left wing, I think it was Anthony Edwards. Edwards got to the middle, which you try to avoid, but he's so dynamic, it's going to happen. After getting some help at the nail, AC still recovered to contest the corner 3.' James said.
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'Instead of just standing and watching after the help, he sprinted to the corner and contested the shot. That kind of hustle affects outcomes. With that kind of effort, they're going to keep winning.'
Caruso entered the NBA undrafted in 2016 and eventually earned a spot on the 2020 championship Lakers alongside James. He won the NBA Hustle Award in 2024, made the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2023, and the second team last season. In the 2024–25 season, Caruso played 54 games and averaged 7.1 points per game.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
