There’s some people in life you just can’t hate. Pedro Pascal and Henry Cavill maybe? But that’s just the Hollywood stars we’re talking about here. As far as the NBA’s concerned, you’d have to go deep into the trenches of Oklahoma City to find that candidate. And his name is Alex Caruso. It’s a puzzle, really. How does the Thunder’s resident Derrick White fit so seamlessly into Mark Daigneault’s setup? Where does he get that mentality from? Well, it just so turns out that OKC have LeBron James to thank in part for that.

You could go on and on about Bron’s failure to do this and that. But the fact is that there’s hardly a handful of people with a better mentality than him on the court in NBA history. And with Caruso’s playing history, Bron’s work would fit right in. Both were integral parts of the Lakers’ 2020 bubble winning roster. But the Bald Mamba learnt a lot from the King as a younger 27-year-old in his prime. The biggest of those learnings was his mentality, that well – you can see the effect of that on the current OKC roster.

“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’ve picked up from him and other guys has been a good addition to my mentality,” said Caruso of LeBron’s teachings. “But really just being a pro. Being a pro’s pro. I think we played over a hundred games as a team now this year, not including practices, not including 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.”

Who better to learn that mentality from than the King, right? Caruso’s journey from an undrafted kid to one of the league’s best defenders is fascinating. He just refuses to accept a handshake or a pat on the back. Instead, he’ll accept his congrats with the same hand he chooses to wear a championship ring with. It’s literally just his first season in OKC’s blue and white. But he’s slowly becoming a bit of a cult hero in the City. And that mentality is to credited back to LeBron James. Talk about aura.

You might be thinking – why would such an integral piece of the bubble roster burst out of it? Is it due to any unbridled constraints from the front office? Or did Frank Vogel stop admiring him anymore? Whatever the reason is, it’s come back to haunt LeBron James and Co. And the fans hate it.

Lakers front office decision to trade Alex Caruso under scrutiny after playoff failure

A tale of two opposites – Caruso’s rise in the playoffs and the Lakers‘ fall. Both have been the cause and effect of each other. The Lakers’ defense being such is what forces them to think of why he was ever released. It’s hard getting anyone of his profile. And he’s certian to make any team into a guaranteed championship winning roster.

But his shift to the Chicago Bulls shocked everyone. What’s worse is that he left for a price lesser than that of a KitKat bar. Bulls offered him a four-year, $37 million deal, more than what the Lakers were willing to pay ($21 million over three years). That’s not something they want to stick on the fridge. But the question of “what ifs” begs ever so much. There’s too many to tackle – what if he stayed? What if the Thunder’s Derrick White was centerstage at the Showtime instead? Regardless of what it is, he’s happy about his time there.

“Yeah, definitely,” Caruso told FOX Sports of the “what ifs” that bug him. “Just because of how well I played with them when I was here. I know how I supported them. And I’ve gotten better. I was expecting myself to get better. It’s actually what had to move me on. I kept getting better and eventually I was at a point where I couldn’t stay here. I definitely have always thought about it because those guys [LeBron James and Anthony Davis] are my brothers. We’ve been through a lot together. Always good seeing them. Every now and then you think about what could’ve been.”

It’s hard to find the mentality demons that shape the NBA like LeBron James. But Alex Caruso‘s a close candidate. The Lakers might regret letting him go. But well, one man’s gain is another man’s loss. You can slowly see that bubble roster show itself in this Thunder team. And OKC residents have Caruso to thank.