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Oklahoma City Thunder Take a 3-0 Advantage After Ja Morant's Exit 3 Dec 19, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) reacts after a play against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Oklahoma CIty Thunder: Alex Caruso Says 2025 Title is ‘Harder’ Than 2020 With Lakers

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Reign Amurao | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 10:56 AM ET

Alex Caruso and the Oklahoma City Thunder finished the mission and won the 2025 NBA championship, defeating the Indiana Pacers in seven games. At the start of the 2024-25 season, they were heavy favorites to win the title. While they were already a tough team the previous year, the Thunder became a threat to the rest of the league when they acquired Caruso.

With Caruso, the Thunder got better defensively. It’s known around the league that the 6-foot-5 guard is a key asset on both ends, given his experience. The defensive guard is the only player on the team who has previously won a championship. In 2020, the undrafted guard was with the Los Angeles Lakers and played an essential role, helping them win the championship over the Miami Heat.

After dramatically closing the series, Caruso talked about what it felt like to win his second title. According to him, the path to the 2025 NBA title with the Thunder was harder compared to when he first won a chip with the Lakers.

First, he had a joke about finally winning a “real championship.” Fans often criticize the 2020 title with the Lakers as not a real chip.

“Now I got a real one, I don’t know if you can say anything,” Caruso said.

After that, Alex Caruso talked about how it was harder to win his second title.

“I think just because the way the team is constructed now versus the team I had in 2020, it was much harder with this team, just because the experience,” he continued. “Everybody talked about, you need experience to win a championship, and you need this, that… I said multiple times through the postseason with this team that good basketball is good basketball, winning basketball is winning basketball.

“The best team can win no matter what happens, if you go out there and execute and do the stuff you need to do to win the game.”

Caruso also said that he thinks the team matured throughout the postseason.

Alex Caruso said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be the face of the league and the best player for the Thunder

Oklahoma CIty Thunder: Alex Caruso Says 2025 Title is 'Harder' Than 2020 With Lakers 2 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 18: Alex Caruso #9, Cason Wallace #22 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder react during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

A lot of the Thunder’s win had something to do with the season that Shai Gigleous-Alexander had. He led Oklahoma City to the best record in the NBA, 68-14, and won his first regular-season MVP. Additionally, he did not shrink in the playoffs and even won the Western Conference finals MVP.

After winning the title, Alex Caruso was asked what his thoughts were about SGA being compared to LeBron James. When Caruso and James were teammates, the four-time champion was the face of the league and the best player for the Lakers. The defensive guard was asked if Gilgeous-Alexander could be on the same path as the Akron-native star.

According to Alex Caruso, SGA is capable of being both and will likely be hungry for more to continue his success.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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