After a historic college career and a rocky post-graduation career, Alex Caruso is an NBA Champion.
The former A&M Consolidated High School and Texas A&M men’s basketball guard helped the Los Angeles Lakers to a 106-93 win in Game 6 over the Miami Heat on Sunday to earn the NBA title.
“I’m pretty excited, I don’t know how else to describe it,” Caruso said in his postgame press conference. “We came out and played a really good game. This was probably the epitome of Laker basketball in that first half.”
Caruso had four points, five assists and three rebounds in his first playoff start on Sunday.
“Coach put me in the starting lineup tonight and I was ready,” Caruso said. “I know I may not go out and score 20 points, but I know what I can do well.”
It was a long road to get there, though.
In his four-year career at A&M, Caruso became the Aggies’ all-time leader in assists with 649 and steals with 276, earned SEC All-Defensive Team and second team All-SEC honors.
Despite the success he had at the collegiate level, Caruso went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft.
He signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sept. 23, 2016, but was released just 24 days later and played in the G League with the Oklahoma City Blue and South Bay Lakers until joining the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA Summer League.
Finally, on July 13, 2017, Caruso got another chance at the pro scene, as Los Angeles signed him to a two-way contract.
Since then, Caruso has played in 126 games with the Lakers, starting in 13. Throughout the 2019-2020 season, he accumulated 120 field goals, including 40 from behind the arc, 124 assists and 70 steals.
He capped off his third season in Los Angeles by helping the Lakers earn their first championship since the 2009-2010 season.
Though the Lakers were unable to play in front of their fans throughout the playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Caruso’s parents and sisters were in attendance. He said having them there took him back to one of his best memories at A&M.
“To be able to celebrate with my parents, to see my sisters in the upper deck, it means a lot. The last time I had something like this was my senior year [at A&M], we tied with Kentucky on Senior Day, we won the SEC Championship,” Caruso said. “I was holding back emotions then when I saw them on the side and they were both teary-eyed coming to me. Just so much love, so much support from them. I’ve just come a long way. It means a lot.”
Caruso said the win is a testament to all the work he put in to reach this point.
“What a journey,” Caruso said. “I was holding back emotions on the court. I’ve worked so hard, been to so many different workouts, different practices, different arenas, different flights. I just kept grinding and kept believing in myself even when people doubted me or teams doubted that I was capable.”