Caruso Sees Greatness Repeating in OKC’s Rising Stars
Alex Caruso was once a cult hero in Los Angeles — a fan favorite who turned hustle plays and heady decisions into championship minutes beside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Now, five years after helping the Lakers win the 2020 NBA title, he finds himself in a familiar spot: chasing another ring, this time as a veteran force for a new generation of stars with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Back in 2020, Caruso played the role of connector. His synergy with LeBron was so strong it made advanced stat nerds swoon — lineups featuring the two posted a +16.1 net rating in 233 minutes at one point in the Playoffs. He started Game 6 of the Finals. He earned the trust of two superstars who could spot real basketball IQ from a mile away. And then, due to cap concerns and an inexplicably low-ball offer, the Lakers let him walk. He signed with Chicago, then found his way to Oklahoma City via trade in 2024. The move was seen as shrewd at the time. Now it looks like another masterstroke by Sam Presti.
The Thunder are one win away from their first title in 46 years (if you count their Sonics history), and Caruso is again in the middle of it all — producing the kind of unspectacular but essential plays that shift momentum and define high-stakes games. In Game 4 of the Finals, with the series hanging in the balance, he came off the bench for 20 points, five steals, and a handful of defensive possessions that sucked the life out of the Pacers’ rhythm. He shot 6-for-11, hit timely baskets, and served as the Thunder’s defensive compass.
But perhaps what’s most compelling about Caruso’s role in Oklahoma City is the way he’s bridged two eras — learning from greatness, now recognizing it in the making.
“Yeah, I mean, anytime you get all-star, all-NBA talent, you know, it’s usually not an overnight success,” Caruso told me in a media interview before the NBA Finals. “Obviously LeBron was anointed from when he was, like, 18, and AD was good, coming out of college and high draft picks and all that. But even with those guys and their career paths, like, there’s a certain work ethic and there’s a certain competitive drive that separates, you know, good players from great players.”
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He sees that same fire in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. It’s not about the accolades — it’s the wiring.
“There’s always a tangible competitiveness to be great every time that they’re on the floor,” he said. “And obviously the work ethic to go with it is… what separates, like I said, one level from another. And both of those guys on my team now have that. Just unbelievable talent mixed with really, really strong competitive drive to be their best and to be better than they were the day before. And the work ethic to go with it.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, now the reigning MVP, has delivered a string of historic performances in the Finals — topping 30 points in nearly every game and joining names like Jordan and Kobe on playoff milestone lists. Williams, meanwhile, exploded for 40 points in Game 5, showcasing a fearlessness that had Coach Mark Daigneault calling his play forceful and mature beyond his years. Together, they’re shaping a new brand of Thunder basketball: selfless, gritty, smart.
Caruso fits perfectly. He’s no longer just a scrappy energy guy — he’s the third-most important player on a team built to win, as four-time champion Draymond Green recently declared. His role isn’t loud, but it’s indispensable. He leads in deflections. He organizes the defense. He scores when no one expects it. And he steadies the Thunder when the game gets weird.
Behind the scenes, there’s a mutual respect. Gilgeous-Alexander called Caruso a “big-time teammate, big-time winner.” Williams teases him in interviews, and Caruso fires back — both laughing, both locked in. It’s the kind of dynamic that championship teams grow from.
For Laker fans still wondering what could have been had the front office kept him, Caruso’s resurgence in OKC stings a little. But for NBA fans at large, it’s a reminder of how much one player with brains, heart, and timing can shift a franchise’s fortune. Caruso doesn’t chase the spotlight. He just keeps showing up where banners are waiting to be won.
