One of the reasons why the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Alex Caruso last June was to help them learn how to become a championship team. He held up his end of the bargain, displaying invaluable leadership and defensive tenacity in the regular season and tallying 10 points and three steals in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But even after winning the title, OKC still had one thing left to ask of the veteran guard.

This youthful group, which is now the second-youngest squad to ever win the Larry O'Brien Trophy, did not have experience celebrating a championship prior to Sunday night's 103-91 victory. Only Caruso had reached the mountaintop before, winning a ring with the 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers. Therefore, he offered a unique brand of expertise that many of the players took advantage of during the ebullient locker-room festivities.

Caruso showed the guys how to uncork a bottle of bubbly and also instructed them on the proper way to have a champagne shower, via the NBA's Bluesky account. He continues to embrace his mentorship role, helping the Thunder properly christen the most important achievement in the franchise's history.

2x NBA CHAMPION Alex Caruso had to give a champagne-popping tutorial 😂

— NBA (@nba.com) 2025-06-23T03:47:48.286Z

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What Alex Caruso means to the Thunder

Despite being only 31 years of age, Caruso is the elder statesman of the team. His track record as an All-Defensive talent and NBA champion gave him instant credibility upon arriving in Oklahoma City. Many fans instantly viewed the undrafted player out of Texas A&M as an X-factor, and he lived up to that expectation throughout the campaign.

Whether it be knocking down 3-pointers at a 41 percent clip in the playoffs, bravely and effectively guarding superstar Nikola Jokic or leading a champagne demonstration, Caruso made an undeniable difference during this title run. And this may just be the beginning. Considering he signed a four-year, $81 million contract extension in December, there will be plenty of time for player and organization to share in more success together.

Alex Caruso will take time to thoroughly enjoy this moment, however. This is a new feeling for himself as well, given that he won his first championship in a mostly empty arena inside a COVID-induced bubble. The 2024 Hustle Award recipient and his teammates can now properly bask in all they accomplished.