Alex Caruso reminded the world that his first ring and NBA championship came with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard won his second Larry O’Brien Trophy this season after the Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in a hard-fought seven-game series.
Caruso was one of the first major moves this past offseason when the Chicago Bulls traded him to the Thunder for Australian point guard Josh Giddey. The defense-first guard proved instrumental in Oklahoma City winning their first title since relocating from Seattle, contributing his point-of-attack defense and three-point shooting throughout their championship run.
Thunder Guard Shows Off Lakers Championship Ring at Parade
Ahead of the Thunder’s championship parade, all eyes were on Caruso as he prominently displayed his Lakers 2020 championship ring. Los Angeles defeated Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals that year, which was held in a bubble in Orlando after COVID-19 forced the season to be rescheduled.
AC with the ACCESSORIES for the @okcthunder‘s championship parade today 👀 pic.twitter.com/69GprBHr4I
— NBA (@NBA) June 24, 2025
Caruso was seen posing with the 2025 NBA championship trophy while wearing the Lakers’ ring like a pendant around his neck. When asked about the piece of jewelry, he had a crisp response, saying, “2020.”
Earlier, the guard received massive criticism from Lakers faithful for his comments after the Finals victory. Per Yahoo! Sports, he said, “Yeah, now I got a real one… now no one can say anything.” This irked the Purple and Gold fans, who called out Caruso on social media soon after. He later clarified his statement, stating that he was indeed joking and had consumed several beers before making the comment.
Caruso’s Championship Impact and Historic Finals Performance
Caruso, the oldest player in the Thunder rotation at 31, proved to be a force defensively as he averaged 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per contest during the regular season. His experience and leadership also earned him a four-year, $81 million extension. He was a vital contributor in the NBA Finals, becoming the first bench player since Manu Ginóbili in 2003 to record at least 10 steals in a Finals series.
His best performance came in Game 2 of the Finals as he scored 20 points while shooting 4-of-8 from the three-point line and going 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. It was a solid performance coupled with his defensive prowess as the Thunder won 123-107 to tie the series. Caruso also made history in Game 4, becoming the first player in 50 years to record 20 points and five steals off the bench in an NBA Finals game.
For now, the Thunder celebrate their historic season. The 2025-26 NBA season has already shown signs of the Western Conference getting more competitive, with recent trades further changing the landscape. Only time will tell if Alex Caruso and Oklahoma City can repeat as NBA champions.
