“LeBron James has got to be the best basketball player to ever play”: Former Laker Alex Caruso considers his 4-time MVP teammate up there as the GOAT alongside Michael Jordan

Who is the GOAT among Michael Jordan and LeBron James is a subject of discussion with no end, Alex Caruso joined this discussion a while ago

LeBron James is the epitome of success. The man has won anything and everything there is to win on a basketball court. Some consider him the greatest to ever do it. Most call Michael Jordan the greatest.

Comparisons are usually subjective and arguments supporting those comparisons only make sense to the person making those arguments. But still, comparisons are what keep fans engaged and athletes motivated. While they thrive to become the best, we support them, fight – for them, against them, and sometimes even with them.

But what can be a deciding factor in concluding the debates like who is the greatest of all time is when a fan of an athlete becomes a professional in the same game. And then has the opportunity to see how their fellow athlete actually fair against the ones who are in conversation to be greatest of all time.

Also read: Grizzlies superstar trumps Giannis and Nikola Jokic as the leading scorer in the paint in the NBA

This gives one of the best perspectives of who actually is the greatest. But sadly in the case of NBA players as well, they don’t have a clear favorite for greatest of all time, the majority give Michael Jordan an edge over LeBron James. But not everyone.

Alex Caruso believes LeBron James is the GOAT over Michael Jordan

The former Lakers teammate of LeBron James, Alex Caruso who helped the King win his fourth NBA title grew up a Michael Jordan fan. But even before coming into the league, his perspective changed.

Last year, he talked about it on the podcast of former NBA player JJ Redick. In this clip of The Old Man and The Three, AC talks about how he switched from MJ to LeBron as his favorite for GOAT.

“When I grew up, I had this fascination with highlights and I was a huge Michael Jordan fan… I’ve never seen full games or see him play in person, all you get are these highlights, you’ve got game winners, you just got them locking people up, you got them dunking. In my head, I’m like, he does it all and this is like the best dude to ever do it,” Caruso said.

“And then LeBron comes in like 2003 and we start watching him and then I get older and I start realizing more about basketball… I don’t know when it changed but that was somewhere around the year six-seven-eight for LeBron, when I was like this dude’s got to be the best basketball player to ever play. There is nobody that can do what he’s doing and then he did it for another 10 years.” the guard concluded.

He went on to describe how playing three seasons with the King, Caruso didn’t only feel he’s the greatest ever basketball player. He also felt like the 4-time MVP already has an experience of a coach with a decade-long career behind him.

While this argument might never get closure, winning another title won’t hurt LeBron’s chances to be considered an undisputed GOAT. But as far as Lakers have played this season, getting out Western Conference would be the biggest task for the King and Co.

Also read: Deron Williams accepts his jealousy for his past rival from New Orleans-Utah rivalry during late-00s

And if they do reach the Finals there is a chance that the fan-favorite GOAT of LA, “CaruShow” will be waiting there with his new team to snatch LeBron’s 5th title.

It would be an ironic ending if Caruso does that to his favorite player in a Chicago Bulls jersey.

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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