Alex Caruso Enter the closed club players who won two rings with two different franchises, and the former rear of the Lakers turned out to be the missing link to allow the Thunder to cross a course.
Arrived last summer, in exchange for Josh Giddey, he is the very symbol of this franchise since eight years ago, in G-League, he had led the OKC Blue to the final, and on the bench, there was … Mark Daigneault!
“I have a great photo that I'm going to post. This is the one I will publish, with a new photo of the two of us ” he confides On NBA TV. “It looks like I say something I didn't really think at the time. I was young, less mature. I probably didn't agree with what he said. Maybe it was my 12th pro match, I didn't understand much. But it's really great to be able to share this with him today. »»
Perfect integration
Perfect 6th man, Alex Caruso immediately melted in the Thunder collective, and in these playoffs, he proved that he could defend positions 1 to 5, even allowing himself to brake Nikola Jokic or Julius Randle.
“Frankly, when the exchange took place, I immediately thought that I was going to integrate myself into this team” he continues. “All I do is exactly what they needed: the things you don't necessarily see, the details, make the small actions that save, cover the others in defense, circulate the ball, create good shots, enter open shots … I felt that my style stuck well. And when I got here, I saw how much everyone had this desire to win, this mentality to surpass themselves despite their young age. It was special. From there, I was thoroughly, ready to fight with them, and we grew up together throughout the season and playoffs. And now I'm here with you. »»
He teaches his teammates to open a bottle of champagne
NBA champion in 2020, in the “bubble”, Alex Caruso cannot help enjoying this “first real title”. This time it was in front of an audience, and in the locker room, it was the only one to know how to open a bottle of champagne !
It is the privilege of age … and it is quite incredible when you think that it entered the NBA by the small door, with G-League and a “Twoway Contract”.
“Winning is winning. There is no shortcut. In the end, you have to do the necessary. You need the fundamentals: make the screen in the rebound, make the right rotations in defense, communicate, circulate the ball, be altruistic … And all that, I did well. Then I found how to become excellent in these areas. And through my journey, from team to team, I started to develop my attack a little more, to learn in defense, to observe the elders, the best … I understood that there was a real place for me in this league. Not just like an extra guy. A real place to make the difference. »»
| Alex Caruso | Percentage | Rebound | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | Lf | Off | Def | Early | PD | Fte | Int | COP | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | Lal | 37 | 15 | 43.1 | 30.2 | 70.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 3.6 |
| 2018-19 | Lal | 25 | 21 | 44.5 | 48.0 | 79.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 9.2 |
| 2019-20 | Lal | 64 | 18 | 41.2 | 33.3 | 73.4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 5.5 |
| 2020-21 | Lal | 58 | 21 | 43.6 | 40.1 | 64.5 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 6.4 |
| 2021-22 | Chi | 41 | 28 | 39.8 | 33.3 | 79.5 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 7.4 |
| 2022-23 | Chi | 67 | 24 | 45.5 | 36.4 | 80.8 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 5.6 |
| 2023-24 | Chi | 71 | 29 | 46.8 | 40.8 | 76.0 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 10.1 |
| 2024-25 | Okc | 54 | 19 | 44.6 | 35.3 | 82.4 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 7.1 |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = minutes; Shots = successful shots / tempted shots; 3pts = 3-point / 3-point attempted; LF = Successful free throws / tempted free throws; Off = offensive rebound; Def = defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; PD = assists; FTE: Personal faults; Int = interceptions; BP = lost bullets; CT: against; Pts = points.
