Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA Finals on Sunday night against the Indiana Pacers, and guard Alex Caruso captured the second ring of his NBA career.
Caruso was also a part of the Los Angeles Lakers team that won the Finals in the 2019-20 season in the Orlando, Fla. bubble.
The 2019-20 season was unlike any other, as the COVID-19 pandemic paused the season before the NBA resumed it months later in a controlled environment in Orlando. The Lakers went on to capture the title, yet some have discounted that accomplishment.
Caruso appeared to jokingly feed into that narrative after winning the 2025 NBA Finals with Oklahoma City.
The Thunder guard later took to social media and clarified his comments, stating that he was being sarcastic when throwing shade at the 2020 title.
A former undrafted free agent, Caruso spent four seasons with the Lakers from the 2017-18 campaign through the 2020-21 season. He left the franchise in free agency in the 2021 offseason, signing a deal with the Chicago Bulls.
Prior to the 2024-25 campaign, Chicago shipped Caruso to Oklahoma City, and the veteran guard quickly became an important part of the team’s rotation. The Thunder won 68 games in the regular season, capturing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
In 54 appearances, Caruso finished the regular season averaging 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from beyond the arc.
In the playoffs, Caruso upped his game, averaging 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest while shooting 41.1 percent from beyond the arc. He had multiple 20-point games in the NBA Finals, which helped the Thunder win Game 2 (20 points on 6-of-11 shooting) and Game 4 (20 points on 7-of-9 shooting).
Of course, he also made an impact defensively this season. In the regular season, he averaged 1.6 steals per game, and in the playoffs, he stepped it up to 2.0 steals per game.
Caruso was a beloved player during his time with the Lakers, so it’s nice to see that he didn’t mean any harm by his comments.
The Lakers will aim to challenge Caruso and the Thunder in the Western Conference when the 2025-26 season begins later this year.
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