Alex Caruso’s harsh comment to the All-Defensive Team pick
The Chicago Bulls have missed the playoffs for the sixth time in eight seasons, and for the second consecutive year. The Bulls last made the playoffs in 2021-22, losing in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks. The coaching staff has seen a few changes in recent days, as the team looks to improve its fortunes next season. And this week, the Bulls learned that Alex Caruso had been named to the NBA’s All-Defense Second Team.
It’s a well-deserved distinction for Caruso, who has emerged as one of the league’s best defensive players. But Caruso couldn’t help but make a funny remark when he noticed the discrepancies between the first and second teams.
“So all the guards..got it.” Caruso responded with a barrage of emoticons. When it comes to All-Defensive teams, there’s no denying that voters prefer big men to wings and guards.
Only one of the five players named to the All-Defense First Team was not a big man: New Orleans Pelicans wing Herbert Jones. The rest of the first team was Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, and Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo.
The All-Defense Second Team included Alex Caruso, the Wolves’ Jaden McDaniels, the Boston Celtics’ Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, and the Orlando Magic’s Jalen Suggs. This season, the voting system changed to a positionless vote.
Alex Caruso is the Bulls premier defensive player
One of the reasons why big players appear to have an advantage with voters when it comes to All-Defensive teams is that centers have typically served as the defensive anchor for their teams. In some cases, however, a wing or guard can serve as a team’s defensive anchor.
That is absolutely the case with the Bulls and Alex Caruso. Caruso is the team’s top defensive player, and he sets the tone in that regard. Caruso’s ascension has been one of the most exciting and entertaining narratives of the last few seasons. He was originally undrafted and began his career on a two-way contract with the Lakers, spending the most of his time in the G League.
After his contract was eventually converted to a normal agreement, he played a crucial role in the Lakers’ 2020 championship squad. However, after the 2020-21 season, the Lakers chose not to re-sign him and instead allowed him to leave in free agency to join the Bulls.
Caruso has since earned two All-Defense selections, including a spot on the first team last season. He also received the NBA’s Hustle Award this season.
Caruso appeared in 71 Bulls games, starting 57 of them, and averaged slightly more over 28 minutes per game. He averaged 10.1 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocked shots, with shooting percentages of 46.8 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from the three-point line, and 76 percent from the free throw line.
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