New Year’s resolutions for the Los Angeles Lakers
By Amaar Burton
5. Alex Caruso: Get invited to the Slam Dunk contest
Mix up some Jeremy Lin with some Rex Chapman, add a dash of Rudy Ruettiger and you’ve got the Alex Caruso story.
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The Los Angeles Lakers’ reserve guard has become a fan favorite in L.A. and it’s easy to see why.
Caruso is the quintessential “every man” — at least as close to that as any pro basketball player can get. He is an undrafted, non-behemoth, balding backup who had to work his way up from the G League to earn his spot on the most popular team in the NBA.
Adding more intrigue to the tale is that Caruso doesn’t look like he should be able to do some of the things he does on the court.
Caruso has been building up a collection of impressive dunks in the pros. Breakaways, putbacks, alley-oops, putting taller wannabe shot-blockers on posters … the 6’5″ Texas A&M product has been a highlight reel regular.
The Lakers should be well-represented during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago. LeBron James and Anthony Davis will almost certainly be starters during that Sunday’s All-Star Game. Frank Vogel may end up coaching one of the teams.
They can add further accolades if Caruso can get himself invited to the Slam Dunk contest.
Of course, it’s a long shot. Caruso isn’t the most high-flying guy in the league. He doesn’t have the star power of some other potential Slam Dunk contestants.
But adding him to the field of four dunkers would create an easy underdog crowd favorite who can surprise a lot of people and put his name on the mainstream radar.