One former Los Angeles Laker is seeing things for what they really are now that he is no longer a member of the team.
In an interview with Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype, Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso admitted that there is a media bias towards the Lakers, namely when it comes to the over-coverage of the team on social media. Caruso was asked about new Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who has replaced him as the team’s new cult hero.
“I’ve seen a little bit!” said Caruso of Reaves. “It’s apparent now. I didn’t realize this when I was on the Lakers. But social media shows all of the Lakers highlights. I didn’t think that was true until I got another team.
“But he appears to be one of those good glue guys that winning teams need,” Caruso continued about Reaves. “I think he’s a lot farther along than I was during my first year in the league. I think we have the same mindset of getting better and working hard. Hopefully, he can stick around.”
Caruso has an excellent point, as nobody would really care who Reaves was if he was not on the Lakers. Caruso himself would not be as well-known as he is now if he had not begun his career with the Lakers and gotten featured so heavily on social media highlight pages. The inverse is also true — many of the Lakers’ former young phenoms have faded into relative obscurity now that they are no longer with the team. Jordan Clarkson is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and still does not get as much coverage as he did when he was on the Lakers. Brandon Ingram was an All-Star in 2020, but you very rarely hear about him these days either. The same goes for players like Josh Hart, Larry Nance Jr., and even D’Angelo Russell — the average fan would probably be unable to tell you what teams those guys play for now.
The Lakers have always been a marquee franchise, and the oversaturation has only intensified during the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era. For his part though, Caruso is doing a good job of staying relevant during his post-Lakers career for the surprising 12-6 Bulls.
Photo: Apr 3, 2018; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) warms up prior to the game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
