There hasn’t been much to get excited about in the world of the Chicago Bulls this season. Their starting lineup has been struggling, and they’re just 3-6 on the year. But while they haven’t been able to generate much success as a team, one storyline has been making rounds across the NBA landscape: Alex Caruso.
Amidst the struggles of the starting unit, Caruso has been one of the best bench players in the NBA. He’s a team-high +18 on the season, and his play on the defensive end has him in conversations for more than just the All-Defensive First Team nod he earned last year. Some are talking about him as a low-key Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Jamal Collier of ESPN recently spoke to Caruso about his play and his thoughts on his journey to the NBA.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of people who didn’t think I’d be in the NBA, who didn’t think I’d be on a championship team, didn’t think I’d be first-team all-defense,” Caruso told ESPN. “And there’s probably a bunch of people that don’t think I can win a Defensive Player of the Year. I don’t ever rule anything out just because I continue to impress myself with the heights I can reach. I don’t know if necessarily I’m going to go out and make that my sole focus. I’m going to concentrate on doing my job and helping the team win, that’s when my success comes with it. But you never rule it out.”
The Bulls may not be en route to a playoff spot, but Caruso is certainly emerging as a star in his own right.
