When Alex Caruso hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy once again—this time in a Thunder jersey—the celebration felt different. The confetti still rained down, the champagne still flowed, and the championship hats still fit just right. But as the veteran guard soaked in the moment, he said something that immediately caught the attention of fans and media alike: “This one was harder than 2020 with the Lakers.”
👀
It was a bold statement. Caruso’s 2020 championship with the Los Angeles Lakers came under incredibly unique circumstances—inside the NBA’s COVID-19 bubble in Orlando. That title run featured no fans, constant testing, mental isolation, and unprecedented pressure. It was a grind, both mentally and physically. But for Caruso to say that winning it all with the 2024–25 Oklahoma City Thunder was harder? That deserved a deeper look.
“Everything about this year tested us,” Caruso explained. “From the beginning of the season, no one had us winning the West, let alone a title. We weren’t supposed to be here. Every step of the way, we had to prove ourselves.”
Unlike the 2020 Lakers, who had two superstars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Thunder were built on youth, chemistry, and depth. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, OKC entered the season as a rising squad—but not yet a favorite. They had talent, but experience was still a question mark. That’s where Caruso came in.
Brought in as a veteran presence with championship DNA, Caruso quickly became the defensive anchor off the bench, a glue guy who did the dirty work and brought championship-level habits to a young locker room. His impact wasn’t always flashy, but it was felt—especially when the playoffs arrived.
“Man, I’ve been in the Finals before, but this group? We had to earn every single win,” Caruso said. “No easy matchups, no shortcuts. These dudes had to grow up fast, and I just tried to be a voice, keep everyone steady.”
The Thunder’s road to the championship was anything but smooth. They went through a gauntlet of playoff-tested teams, including a physical second-round battle that went seven games. Caruso was everywhere—diving for loose balls, switching onto bigger players, knocking down timely threes, and orchestrating the defense in crunch time.
His experience paid off in the Finals. Facing the Indiana Pacers, another young team on the rise, OKC was pushed to the limit. The series went all the way to Game 7, and it was in those final minutes where Caruso’s composure stood out.
“I told the guys before Game 7, ‘It’s gonna get ugly. Stay locked in. Stay together,’” Caruso recalled. “That’s something I learned in L.A. But this time, I wasn’t just the young role player—I had to help lead.”
That shift in responsibility is a big reason why Caruso labeled this title run “harder” than 2020. In the bubble, he was a key piece, but the burden didn’t fall on him. In OKC, he was the voice of experience, the guy every player looked to when the moment got too loud.
“When you’re the one who’s supposed to keep everyone calm, it hits different,” he said. “You feel that pressure, and you gotta deliver. I’m proud of how I handled that.”
Caruso’s comments sparked plenty of reactions. Lakers fans were quick to defend the difficulty of the 2020 run, citing the mental toll of bubble isolation and the weight of honoring Kobe Bryant’s legacy. But most fans respected Caruso’s honesty—he wasn’t trying to diminish one title, but highlight just how special this Thunder run was.
“This group was different,” Caruso added. “It wasn’t about star power. It was about believing in each other, doing the little things, grinding every day. That’s what made it so rewarding.”
His journey is now one of the best stories in the NBA. From undrafted free agent to G League standout, to Lakers fan favorite, to defensive stalwart for a rising Thunder team—Caruso’s career arc is a masterclass in resilience and self-belief. And with two rings now on his résumé, his place in league history is more solid than ever.
For OKC, Caruso wasn’t just a contributor—he was a culture-setter. And when he says this championship meant more, it’s not hard to see why. It wasn’t just about winning. It was about mentoring, elevating those around him, and proving once again that grit, IQ, and heart can outlast hype.
“This one was harder,” Caruso said, still smiling through the chaos of celebration.
And for him, that made it all the sweeter. 🏆
