OKC Thunder's Offseason Addition Praises Organization

Since joining the Oklahoma City Thunder this past summer, Alex Caruso has found it easy to embrace the organization.

Dec 10, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) celebrates with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Since the Oklahoma City Thunder brought him in over the offseason period, Alex Carsuo has settled into the third organization of his career nicely.

Although injuries and inconsistencies in his 3-point shot have prevented it from being a completely seamless transition, Caruso's elite defensive intangibles have remained a highly impressive area of his games. On a Thunder team already stacked with some of the best defenders in the NBA, he ranks among the best.

Caruso's 5.8 points, three rebounds and 2.3 assists per game don't jump off the page — especially his 39/28/71% shooting splits — but his impact goes far beyond the regular stat sheet. Not many players across the league carry the same hustle and ability to do the dirty work.

At 30 years old, Caruso somehow ranks as the oldest player in Oklahoma City alongside Kenrich Williams. Transitioning to a team full of young talent on the cusp of competing for an NBA Finals berth could seem a little daunting, but the guard hasn't had a problem "fitting in."

If anything, that's a credit to the Thunder organization as a whole. Just ask the man himself.

"Everyone is treated the same, and everyone is held to the same standard and accountability," Caruso said during NBA Cup semifinals media day. "With an atmosphere and culture like that, it makes it really easy for basketball players to thrive."

Whether it be past or present players that have come through Oklahoma City, most have garnered the organization nothing but praise. It's set out to build a unique culture that is unparalleled compared to other teams, which has helped its results go beyond the struggles of other small market teams.

Caruso certainly doesn't need to be developed at this point in his career, but looking at the amount of players the Thunder has drafted and grown into impact players over the last few years, there's something to its development process that has fostered the roster it currently has.  

It's safe to say, Oklahoma City is in fact thriving.

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