"I try to be sneaky": OKC Thunder's Alex Caruso on defensively playing small-ball center and more (Exclusive)

As they have bulldozed their way up through the Western Conference standings, the OKC Thunder have thrived with an early MVP candidate (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), an elite rim protector (Chet Holmgren) and dependable two-way players (Jaylen Williams, Lou Dort).

The Thunder have also taken the league by storm thanks to Alex Caruso, a key offseason addition who didn't need many regular-season games, let alone a full training camp, to make an immediate impact.

“It feels like he’s been on the team for five years,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. “That’s the highest compliment I can give him. He’s just done an unbelievable job of integrating and kind of jumping on a moving train on a team that has an established chemistry, an established identity and established shared experiences. And yet he’s blended into that in a very, very natural way.”

That’s because Caruso provided plenty of intangibles during his stops with the LA Lakers (2017-2021) and Chicago Bulls (2021-24). The undrafted guard soon became a valuable commodity for his hustle, defensive versatility and improving outside shot.

Caruso formed instant chemistry with a generational star on the Lakers (LeBron James) and a highly-effective scorer on the Bulls (DeMar DeRozan). So four years after Caruso became a key role player on the Lakers’ 2020 NBA title team, the Thunder dealt Josh Giddey for Caruso in hopes he could sprinkle an extra dose of championship ingredients.

"He’s been in the biggest moments. He’s been where we all want to go, and he’s very vocal about it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He’s a great vocal leader. He always says the right thing. When he speaks, people listen. And he’s earned that because of his work, his body of work and what he’s put into the game. The game has rewarded him. But yeah he’s been a great asset to this team.”

Alex Caruso interview (Exclusive)

Alex Caruso spoke to Sportskeeda about his early fit with the Thunder, modeling his defensive communication style after James and Rajon Rondo as well as his outlook on Oklahoma City’s NBA title chances.

Editor’s note: The following one-on-one conversation has been edited and condensed.

Mark essentially has said he feels like you’ve fit right in with the group. What’s your read?

Alex Caruso: “I’m glad he thinks that. I feel like I can play a little bit better, personally. But I think I’m doing positive things that affect winning. That’s the biggest thing: learning on the fly. All of these guys have been with the organization and have been in the flow of things for at least a couple of years.

"So for me, it’s about trying to figure out and develop the chemistry and develop the mindset that they all have. I think at the end of the day, they’re competitive and they really want to win. For me, that’s easy to jump on board and go with it.”

When you say you think you can play a little better, what comes to mind?

Alex Caruso: “That’s just me basketball wise. I have high expectations. We’ve had injuries at the 5. So I’ve been guarding some small-ball five. It’s been [Deandre] Ayton and [Donovan] Clingan. It’s been [Ivica] Zubac. I’ve guarded Wemby. It’s been an array of people. But that’s the versatility that I bring and hope to bring to the game.

"But it’s just about being comfortable in the different sets and the different actions. It’s more movement and more playing off penetration. In Chicago, we had more plays and reads.”

What’s it been like guarding those fives?

Alex Caruso: “It’s tough, man. I’ve been fouling a lot.” (laughs)

I saw you were fronting Zubac a bit, though. How do you do that?

Alex Caruso: “Yeah, I try to be sneaky. I try to fake front and get underneath. You got to do stuff to mix it up. You can’t just use brute strength.”

Jalen [Williams] said earlier in the season that you’ve really helped with directing guys where to rotate and to keep things organized. What’s been your approach with that?

Alex Caruso: “Yeah, I’ve learned from some of the greats. LeBron is a great communicator. Rondo was a great communicator. Being around guys like that and a couple of others, but those specifically, it’s about being able to control the game with your mind and with your ability to be vocal. Then you can think and get ahead of the game and put yourself in position to take advantage of certain situations.”

What did you notice on how LeBron and Rondo mastered that?

Alex Caruso: “It’s just about learning the game and knowing what the other teams like to do and knowing what your team’s schemes and stuff are. So you see actions and you can put people in a position to get ready to play it or to get ahead of it. So you have an advantage.”

You’re only 30. But with this team having a lot of players in their 20s, you’re considered a vet. How do you wrap your head around that?

Alex Caruso: “I’m trying to get used to it. They do a good job of bringing energy. It’s fun to be around. Their post-game group interview is great. It shows the unity and togetherness of the team. That’s a big thing if you’re trying to be a successful team.”

I know it’s early and they have a good young core. But what do you see based off your championship experience that shows you whether this team can make that push?

Alex Caruso: “We got to be better. We’ve had success early, and we’ve won some games. But we have a lot of stuff that we have to get better at if we want to get to that level. Just knowing the same thing happened with that team when I was in LA, we weren’t the team that we were at the end of the year that we were at the beginning of the year. We had stuff that we had to get better at and sharpen. That’s the true mark of a good team.

"It’s how much better can you get through the year. It’s about sharpening the sword and being crisp with decision making. It’s about being in spots defensively and executing offensively. All of that stuff is what goes into winning basketball late in the season.”

With Shai and Chet, what is your impression on what they are like as leaders that you otherwise wouldn’t have noticed as an opponent?

Alex Caruso: “They’re relatively young guys and super competitive. That’s what you want. You want to get behind and follow guys that want to win and want to show up every night and be the best and be the best version of themselves. Ultimately, that’s what I want in myself. So when the leaders of the team want that, it makes it easier to fall in line.”

Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on X, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.