Since the Oklahoma City Thunder signed him in the offseason, Alex Carsuo has settled nicely into the third organization of his career.

Although injuries and inconsistencies in his 3-point shooting prevented a completely seamless transition, Caruso’s elite defensive intangibles continue to be an extremely impressive area of ​​his games. On a Thunder team that already has some of the best defenders in the NBA, he is one of the best.

Caruso’s 5.8 points, three rebounds and 2.3 assists per game aren’t exactly outstanding – especially his 39/28/71% shooting – but his impact goes far beyond the regular stats. Not many players in the league have the same drive and ability to do the dirty work.

At 30, Caruso is considered the oldest player in Oklahoma City alongside Kenrich Williams. Moving to a team full of young talent that’s about to compete for a spot in the NBA Finals might seem a little daunting, but the guard has had no problem adapting.

If anything, that’s a credit to the entire Thunder organization. Just ask the man himself.

“Everyone is treated equally and everyone is held to the same standards and the same responsibility,” Caruso said on media day for the NBA Cup semifinals. “With an atmosphere and culture like that, it’s really easy for basketball players to thrive.”

Whether they are past or current players who have visited Oklahoma City, most have brought nothing but praise to the organization. The company’s goal is to build a unique culture that is unparalleled compared to other teams and has helped deliver results beyond the struggles of other small market teams.

Caruso certainly doesn’t need to develop at this point in his career, but when you look at the number of players the Thunder have drafted and developed into impact players over the last few years, there’s something about their development process that’s boosting the roster has currently has.

It’s safe to say that Oklahoma City is indeed thriving.

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