Lakers Guard Makes Unexpected Decision on All-Star Event

NBA fans were looking forward to Alex Caruso’s role in the All-Star weekend. Well, the Los Angeles Lakers guard made a decision on the All-Star game.

Caruso turned down a spot in the Slam Dunk Contest in Atlanta, as confirmed by Bill Oram of The Athletic.

Alex Caruso declined an invitation to the dunk contest. (per The Athletic)

We could've seen the Carushow getting 50s! pic.twitter.com/WdMYMaGEIj

— Basketball Forever (@Bballforeverfb) March 3, 2021

“Maybe looking forward to (the break) a little bit more,” Caruso told media members earlier in the week. “I’ll probably just play some golf with some buddies and leave it at that.”

Pacers rookie Cassius Stanley, Knicks rookie Obi Toppin and Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons will take the dunk contest field. The schedule is pretty packed, so the competition will happen at halftime of the game.

The Lakers guard would have been perfect in the All-Star weekend

Caruso has shown us some crazy dunks. Seeing him compete makes perfect sense. NBA fans love Caruso. He is averaging just 5.8 points per game off the Lakers bench. Caruso was a top-10 fan-vote getter among all guards for the All-Star game.

Bald Mamba, Carushow… He earned a bunch of nicknames. A Lakers assistant asked “who gave the UPS guy a jersey,” in the 2017 Summer League. Some say he’s the “GOAT.”

No real shock here, but LeBron James tallied the most All-Star votes of any player and will be team captain for the West (check out Alex Caruso's numbers btw ?): pic.twitter.com/vqJeTDTi2f

— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) February 19, 2021

“It’s funny,” Caruso said. “Every time it comes up, it’s funny. It has kind of lost its pop to me because everyone on the team says it now, but when it first started happening it was funny and it was a good laugh. Everyone still enjoys it and they’re still saying it.

“The outside world might be taking it in basketball terms but I think when my teammates say it, they’re just speaking to the kind of teammate I am and the kind of guy I am. I’m just another one of the guys who happens to be really good at basketball and don’t look like I should be.”

LeBron James wasn’t really excited about the game although he is making his 17^th All-Star appearance.

“I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star Game this year,” the four-time NBA champion told reporters. “I don’t even understand why we’re having an All-Star Game.”