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Alex Caruso and LeBron James forged a strong bond off the court as they did on it over their tenure as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers. Alex Caruso recently spoke about his friendship with LeBron. He also talked about how the nickname he kept for Caruso went viral due to James' popularity and drawing factor.
Alex Caruso was an integral part of the Los Angeles Lakers roster and was a key reason why they won an NBA championship. Caruso endeared himself to the Lakers Nation and LeBron due his hustle, grit, toughness and basketball IQ.
It has helped him become an elite perimeter defender and also get timely buckets when the Lakers needed him to. Caruso put on a show for the fans with his wild headband reaction, massive dunks, ability to jump the passing lane and get steals leading to easy buckets in transition.
Alex Caruso, in a recent interview with SB Nation, spoke about his tenure with the Lakers and his friendship with former teammate LeBron James. He spoke about how he did not take any time spent with him for granted. Here's what he said:
"I don’t take for granted any of the time I got spend playing with him. I don’t remember when he started calling me “GOAT” but I think it was sometime that first season that I was on a regular NBA contract, the championship year. I think it was sometime then. The great thing about that team is that we had a team full of guys where you were able to kind of be yourself when you show up."
Alex Caruso talks about the GOAT nickname LeBron James gave him and how it became viral
Alex Caruso's hustle and grit helped him become one of the most elite role players in the league and this did not go unnoticed by LeBron James. The King gave him a nickname calling him the GOAT due to his aggressive mindset, high energy plays and passion every time he steps on to the court.
Caruso spoke about the nickname and explained its origins while also giving us an insight on his bond with his other teammates, who he still remains in contact with. Here's what he said:
"I am who I am. I didn’t change anything for that team or who I was around. I was just myself. I went out and played basketball how I know how to play basketball. I went out and affected winning. I think he started trusting me a little bit when games were on the line because I was always locked in being the competitor that I am."
"So when he started calling me that, I think it garnered a lot more attention than it should have because we were in LA and it was LeBron. He is who he is and people always pick up on that stuff when LeBron is involved and the Lakers are involved."
"Now all of the sudden I’m thrown into that stuff as well. He’s a great dude. That’s my brother. All the dudes from my time in LA, especially that championship team, I still keep in contact with. I still wish them luck every game except when they play the Bulls."
The Lakers have taken a huge hit since Alex Caruso's departure and LeBron James will now have a huge task on his hand to get them back to being elite.
Guess the Lakers players!
