"I was a little surprised it was as loud" - Alex Caruso on the reception he got from Chicago Bulls fans on his preseason debut for the franchise
Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso was hit with a delightful surprise in the form of unusually loud applause from Chicago Bulls fans. It happened when he took the floor for his new team in his preseason debut.
Per KC Johnson from Bulls Insider:
“Yeah, that’s just kind of my career at this point. Everybody just kind of likes watching me play. Whether they’re cheering for me out of sarcasm or actual fandom or whatever it is, it comes with it,” Caruso said. “I was a little surprised it was as loud when I first came in. I would like it to be a little more warranted with some success and winning. But hopefully we’ll get to that point.”
After going undrafted and spending some time in the G-league, the Los Angeles Lakers picked Alex Caruso. He ended up playing four seasons with the franchise. Alex Caruso played a pivotal role in the 2020 NBA Championship run and became LeBron James' most trusted sidekick.
Welcome to Chicago, Alex Caruso!
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Throughout the process, he has developed an uncanny cult following amongst fans in LA. It seems like the trend's going to carry through to Chicago as well. After Alex Caruso signed a 4-year, $37 million deal with the Chicago Bulls this offseason. The Chicago fans have been all love for the 26-year-old.
How Alex Caruso can help the Chicago Bulls this season
Alex Caruso's stint with the LA Lakers made it clear that he is fairly capable of stopping the ball and making crunch threes down the stretch. According to NBA.com, the Lakers' defensive rating rose from 101.7 to 107.8 whenever he was benched. With a squad like the Chicago Bulls have managed to create this offseason, Alex Caruso fits like magic.
The 6'4" guard shot 41% from beyond the arc last season and has been averaging at least one steal per game for the past three seasons. Not to mention, Alex Caruso's instrumental bubble playoff run would still be ripe in the minds of his avid followers.
Alex Caruso is the best player in Chicago Bulls history to go up with his left hand, switch to his right in mid-air, and make a layup.
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As far the Chicago Bulls' season is concerned, Alex Caruso might be the final piece to the puzzle. They have already landed DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball under the same roof. Caruso is the glue that can come off the bench and provide valuable minutes in clutch scenarios.
Alex Caruso is skilled enough to strip the opponent's best ball handlers without fouling and is athletic enough to finish fastbreaks at lightning speeds. All of this will come in handy for the Chicago Bulls as they look to make a realistic playoff push this season around.