Alex Caruso says having an excellent routine helped him achieve a career-best year

Alex Caruso says there’s just as much work to be done off the court as there is on it.

© Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

There's a lot of work that goes into achieving and maintaining elite conditioning in the NBA. For every high-flying slam dunk that LeBron James electrifies the crowd with, for every long triple Steph Curry unleashes onto defenses, there are countless hours of work put in the gym and the training room. For Alex Caruso, the Chicago Bulls' versatile two-guard and fan favorite, maintaining a rigorous fitness routine has been paramount to helping him attain success at this point of his career.

Consistent training table work

Coming off an injury-plagued 2021-2022 season where he missed half of the Bulls' regular season games, Caruso adopted a different mindset heading to this season, and it paid off handsomely for the former Texas A&M star. Not only did Caruso play a career-high 67 games, but he was also able to earn a spot on the NBA's All-Defensive First Team.

"I had a great routine this year as far as training table work before practice, making sure that I get lifts during the year, having my activation before the games, taking care of my body after the games, sleeping enough, getting the right nutrition, and then putting the work in to maintain the level that was necessary," said the 29-year-old.

Detailed approach

While some NBA players may go through the motions, Caruso elected to become more meticulous with his routine. During the season, he was sure to keep up with his daily rituals, such as stretching and getting in a good warm-up before tip-off.

"I think for me, it was probably just doubling down on being a professional. I think that's probably why I had such a good year individually because I think my routines and the discipline I had were pretty good," shared Caruso.

"Whether it was stretching before practices and getting treatment an hour, hour and a half before anybody needed to be there, to being at the same, you know, 90 on the clock is when I usually shot pregame. So, two hours before, we're on the training table getting stretched, and I'm going to the weight room to get activation. Just having that routine, I think really opened up for me to have such a good year."