Alex Caruso reveals who are the hardest players to defend in the NBA

Caruso mentioned the usual suspects and one surprise player.

© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Caruso has been one of the best defenders in the league for a while now, even though it was only last year that he was finally given recognition for it by getting named to the All-Defense First Team. 

In an interview with NBC Sports Chicago, the Chicago Bulls guard is dishing out all his defensive secrets. Caruso revealed that there are a few players who he finds particularly difficult to defend.

Do his job

Caruso said that he often gets asked which players he finds are the hardest to guard in the NBA. Caruso explains that he can name 20 off the top of his head. He adds that even if he plays good defense, he can only hold these players to their average. If not, they can easily notch 50. NBA players are that good.

“This is how I describe it: If I follow the game plan and play really good defense, the best guys in the league—the 1-2 punches like DeMar (DeRozan) and Zach (LaVIne) for us—are still going to get their average. There’s just that much volume, transition, switches, so many opportunities. If I don’t do my job, they’ll go for 40 or 50,” Caruso said.

“So you take your pick any night for toughest cover. Anybody who’s an All-Star and there are even some guys who come off the bench and average 20 a night.”

Alex Caruso playing elite defense. Again. pic.twitter.com/8wkFFnnQMZ

— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) February 1, 2023

Jordan Clarkson

The former Texas A&M star mentioned the usual suspects like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Devin Booker as players that are difficult to contain, but Jordan Clarkson was the one player Caruso singled out.

“Jordan Clarkson is one of the harder guys to guard in the league because he can shoot from outside, he can shoot from midrange, he can get fouled. Makes good reads off counters,” Caruso said of the former Sixth Man of the Year winner.

Alex Caruso, First Team All Defense pic.twitter.com/DwLxvBnx5U

— Will Gottlieb (@Will_Gottlieb) January 3, 2023