Alex Caruso recently secured his immediate future by agreeing to a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 25-year-old was impressive for the Lakers last season when called upon, and he was justly rewarded with a new contract.
Recently, the former Texas A&M standout gave a shoutout to the South Bay Lakers of the G League, who he believes played a tremendous role in his development as a player:
My time with @SouthBayLakers helped me grow to where I am today.. can’t thank them enough🙌🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼 https://t.co/1NQoQbcdU0
— Alex Caruso (@ACFresh21) July 9, 2019
Last season, Caruso suited up for South Bay for a total of 27 contests, during which he averaged 14.0 points (on 40.5 percent shooting), 3.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 28.5 minutes per ballgame. His numbers were not exactly eye-popping, and his efficiency from the floor (he also shot 26.9 percent from deep) left a lot to be desired.
Nonetheless, his experience in the G League definitely had a huge effect on his career. It kept him physically and mentally prepared for when his number was to be called by the Lakers, which came sooner rather than later following the myriad injuries L.A. suffered in the second half of last season.
Caruso upped his game in the big leagues, putting up 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and a steal in 21.2 minutes of action. His shooting efficiency took a significant leap, as he shot 44.5 percent overall and 48.0 percent from rainbow territory on 2.0 attempts per contest.
Caruso may not play a significant role for the Lakers in the coming season, but he should be able to get some quality minutes off the bench and prove his worth to new head coach Frank Vogel.
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