Alex Caruso opens up on what he learned from LeBron James during his time with the Lakers

Shooting guard/small forward Alex Caruso is enjoying an impressive run with the Oklahoma City Thunder, having played a key role in their journey to the ongoing 2024–25 National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals.

Caruso is the only player on the current Thunder roster to have won an NBA championship, claiming the title during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. The 31-year-old was traded by the Chicago Bulls to the Thunder on June 21, 2024, in exchange for Josh Giddey — and Chicago’s loss has proven to be Oklahoma City’s gain.

The versatile player is known for his mentality and ability to contribute all over the court. In a recent interview with OKC Thunder Wire, Caruso credited former Lakers teammate LeBron James for influencing his development, saying he learned a lot about the game both on and off the court from the league’s all-time leading scorer.

Alex Caruso sur ce qu’il a appris avec LeBron James et qu’il met en pratique

“Être un pro, tout simplement : faire ses soins, bien manger, dormir, mettre ses collants de récupération. J’ai aussi retenu son esprit de compétition. Cette rigueur complète bien ma mentalité. On a… pic.twitter.com/dT31XNRwLX

— Basket-Infos (@Basket_Infos) June 11, 2025

“Just the ability to be a pro — to go get your treatment, to eat right, to sleep, get in your recovery tights. The competitive greatness that he has, that I have picked up from him and other guys, has been a good addition to my mentality. But really, just being a pro. Being a pro’s pro. I think we’ve played over a hundred games as a team this year, not including practices and travel days. All that stuff adds up. Just being a pro, making sure I’m taking care of my body, my mind, and bringing others with me,” Caruso stated.

James is also known to be very fond of Caruso. In a recent episode of his podcast “Mind the Game,” co-hosted with NBA legend Steve Nash, he named the 31-year-old as his all-time favorite teammate.

“They come off the bench with one of my favorite teammates of all time in Alex Caruso, who is like the ultimate Swiss Army knife. We’ve literally seen him guard Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jamal Murray — he’s taken on everyone this postseason. You look at the plus/minus after the game — AC will have five points, three rebounds, two assists — and his plus/minus will be a damn plus-17,” James said.

After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Caruso made his NBA debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017. Since then, he has gone on to play for the Chicago Bulls and now the Oklahoma City Thunder. He experienced success with the Lakers, winning the 2020 NBA championship with the franchise.

Now 31, Caruso has played a key role in the Thunder’s run to the 2024–25 NBA Finals and will be eager to add another title to his resume by helping the team capture its first-ever league championship.

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