Alex Caruso says he knows he's one of the best defenders in the NBA, whether that gets recognized or not

Caruso knows what he's made of.

© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso further burnished his reputation as one of the NBA’s best defenders last season when he earned a slot in the All-Defensive First Team. This season, he’s in the running for a repeat performance, but he’s not losing sleep over it. In a recent interview with NBC Sports Chicago, Caruso expressed confidence in his abilities and acknowledged that while recognition is nice, it doesn’t define him as a player.

Knows what he’s all about

Long before last year’s distinction, Caruso has already established a reputation for being a relentless defender. From his time with the Los Angeles Lakers to the Chicago Bulls, Caruso has been praised by coaches and teammates alike for his tenacity on the defensive end. It was only last season that the former Texas A&M star finally got some hardware to show for it.

This season, Caruso admitted the importance of winning the same accolade. He also acknowledged that it wasn’t his main focus.

“It’s important to me. But at the end of the day, I know I’m one of the best defenders in the league, whether it’s recognized or not,” Caruso emphasized.

“It would be cool, obviously. And making first-team last year, I was pretty proud of that. I think having the respect of the guys I play against and the guys I battle against every night telling me that they enjoy playing against me because it’s a challenge and it’s competitive, that’s just as important as having a first- or second-team All-Defense award.”

Your nightly moment of Alex Caruso’s defensive brilliance.

Will Hardy screams for the DHO motion to occur on the left side, Caruso hears it, cheats up, sits on the planned skip pass, fast break the other way. pic.twitter.com/tVx1htiQkA

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 7, 2024

Chimes in on minimum game requirement

The NBA’s implementation of the 65-game minimum for awards eligibility has sparked debate and controversy among players and fans alike. Some argue that it is unfair to withhold an award because a player didn’t play in the said number of games, while others believe that it weeds out the unworthy candidates.

Alex Caruso shared his thoughts on the matter, stating, “I see both sides. If some guy plays 63 games but has been the best two-guard or center in the league for the whole season, it’s going to be a point of conversation.”

“I think, for the most part, it’s unlucky injuries that will keep guys off. And it sucks because for those guys who are making All-NBA teams or trying to go for MVPs, there’s some type of legacy that goes into it. For me, I’m going to make a couple All-Defense teams in my career and that will be the extent of it. I don’t perceive me making All-NBA or MVP running.”

Alex Caruso tonight:

11 PTS
3 REB
4 AST
4 STL
3 BLK
3 3PM

First player in FRANCHISE HISTORY with those number in under 35 mins. 🧑‍🦲🐐 pic.twitter.com/ojzkHzoPMF

— BullsMuse (@BullsMuse_) March 7, 2024

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