The Oklahoma City Thunder have been the NBA’s most dominant defensive team throughout the season, with Alex Caruso among their plethora of standout perimeter pests.
However, the nine-year veteran guard took his defensive effort to uncharted territory during Tuesday’s 113-108 road win over the Orlando Magic, using one of his shoes to block a shot, leaving the NBA world in disbelief.
Alex Caruso’s Shoe Block vs. Magic Sparks Entertaining Reactions
With OKC ahead 46-35 late in the second quarter, Caruso lost his footing on defense, resulting in his shoe falling off. The two-time NBA champion didn’t let the mishap take him out of the play, though.
Instead, he remained locked in defensively with his shoe in his right hand as the ball found its way to Magic sophomore forward Tristan Da Silva near the top of the arc.
As Da Silva blew by Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a drive to the rim, Caruso stepped in as the help defender, making the questionable yet heads-up decision to block him with his shoe.
While the unorthodox move was technically successful, it didn’t get past the referees, who immediately stopped the game, whistling Caruso for a technical foul and a subsequent goaltending call. The officiating decision left the 32-year-old looking perplexed as the in-game commentary crew tried to make sense of what had just transpired.
Alex Caruso tries to get away with a block with his shoe vs. the Magic🤣pic.twitter.com/RoYexQ3fIX
— StatHunter (@stat_hunter) March 18, 2026
The bizarre sequence promptly went viral on X, generating comical reactions.
“ALEX CARUSO USES HIS SHOE TO BLOCK THE SHOT?!? This is insane. 🤣🤣🤣,” Hoop Central reacted.
“Nah, man, I’ve NEVER seen anything like THIS. Alex Caruso blocked a shot with HIS SHOE ðŸ˜ðŸ’€,” Hater Report posted.
“Alex Caruso just blocked a shot with his shoe… What in the world?” Legion Hoops questioned.
“Alex Caruso blocked a shot with his shoe. Apparently, it’s not legal, and the bucket counted, and it’s a tech. But it definitely looked cool,” Thunder writer Brandon Rahbar quipped, later adding that it was a “clean block by size 13s.”
“Alex Caruso using his shoe to block a shot. Innovation,” Barstool Sports joked.
As for Caruso, he acknowledged postgame that the situation was a first for him, and if he had known what the outcome would be, he “wouldn’t have done it because it’s 3 points.”
Fortunately for Caruso, unintentionally surrendering 3 points didn’t cost his squad, as OKC (54-15) held on for its ninth straight victory, becoming the first team in the league to clinch a 2026 playoff berth.
