Alex Caruso on winning 2025 NBA title: 'Now I got a real one'

The addition of Alex Caruso in the offseason changed the dynamics of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Caruso helped turn OKC from a good defensive team into a great one.

Caruso was already an NBA champion coming into Oklahoma City. He won the title alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis in 2020.

The problem with that championship is the fact it was played in the Disney bubble during the COVID lock down. Because of this, many fans and analysts alike discredit the title.

This may be unfair to do, as the 2020 Lakers are deserving champions, but it does happen. After winning this year, Caruso took a subtle shot at his bubble championship, claiming, “Now I got a real one.”

“Yeah, now I got a real one. Now nobody can say anything. Yeah, I think just because of the way the team is constructed now versus the team I had in 2020, like it was much harder with this team just because of the experience, right?

“And everybody talked about you need experience, win a championship, and you need this, that, and the other. And I said multiple times through the postseason with this team that good basketball is good basketball.

“That winning basketball is winning basketball. And the best team can win no matter what happens. If you go out there and execute and do the stuff that you need to do to win the game.

“And I think through the playoffs, this team grew up and learned on the fly, which most teams have to learn through losses and learn through defeats. And I think this team learned through success.”