Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn't top ESPN's MVP poll, but his teammate Alex Caruso was voted first for Sixth Man of the Year. With 66 points, Caruso beat out Minnesota Timberwolves' Naz Reid (52), Atlanta Hawks' Nickeil-Alexander Walker, Boston Celtics' Payton Pritchard (18), and Memphis Grizzlies' Ty Jerome.
With Aaron Wiggins on the bench, Caruso was far from leading the Thunder's second unit in scoring, which ESPN points out. Still, Caruso got the benfit of the doubt for Sixth Man of the Year, heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
“This honor traditionally goes to a player who provides instant offense off the bench. It has been three decades since the Sixth Man of the Year averaged single digits in points, which has happened only three times in the history of the award,” ESPN wrote. “Caruso's impact in his first season in Oklahoma City, particularly during the playoffs, is indisputable.
“But he averaged only 7.1 points per game during the regular season, when he received a single third-place vote to finish eighth in Sixth Man of the Year balloting. A significant scoring boost is unlikely for Caruso during his ninth NBA season as a role player on a loaded Thunder roster.”
With second-hand scoring coming from guards such as Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace, Caruso can focus on being one of the better on-ball defenders in the NBA, while connecting on 35+ percent of his attempted threes, which shot up to 41.1% throughout the postseason.
“The Thunder will continue to carefully manage Caruso's minutes (an average of 19.3 in 54 games last season), prioritizing the 31-year-old's freshness for another probable deep playoff run and providing developmental opportunities for young guards such as Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Topic,” ESPN adds. “But there is precedent for dominant defense and contributing to a contender earning this award, going back to the first Sixth Man of the Year, Philadelphia's Bobby Jones in 1982-83.”
Thunder's Alex Caruso NBA 2K26 rating is criticized
Out of the complaints fans had about the Thunder NBA26 ratings, Alex Caruso's rating in NBA2K26 stands out most. Caruso has an 80 OVR rating and was not one of three Thunder players ranked in the top 100. With reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way with a 98 OVR rating, Jalen Williams (90 OVR), and Chet Holmgren (88 OVR) are ahead of Caruso.
Still, the veteran's presence can't be understated as the defensive anchor in the Thunder's backcourt, constant three-point shooting threat, and strong voice in the locker room as a two-time champion.
