Three days after Jimmy Butler, who came to general surprise (or almost) at the brand new Parisian NBA Store, he is another player well known to fans of the Bulls —and the Great League in general— who took advantage of the off-season to visit the French capital: Alex Caruso.
If the “combo guard” of Chicago obviously does not have a status comparable to that of the current All-Star of Miami, he is nonetheless one of the players most appreciated by fans, whether they are Americans or French. The main interested party was also able to realize it at 20, Boulevard Saint-Michel where, between two photos, autographs and promotional obligations, he granted us a ten-minute interview.
And the least we can say is that the “Bald Mamba” is humanly faithful to the image he sends back when he plays on an NBA floor. That is to say, generous, gentlemanly and endearing. Maintenance.
— First, Alex, how was your very first stay in France?
“ Everything is great. I visited some tourist places, like the Louvre Museum and the Arc de Triomphe, I ate in good restaurants [sur les conseils de Kyle Kuzma et Nikola Vucevic, ndlr], so I have nothing to complain about. It’s really great here. “
— This week on Twitter, however, you regretted not knowing any words in French. Have you been able to learn any since?
” [Il rit] Oh yes, I learned the basics of communication, like ‘Hello’, ‘Goodbye’, ‘See you soon’, ‘Thank you’, ‘You’re welcome’, ‘Welcome’, those kind of words… But I will work on my side in order to progress and be ready for January, when I return with the whole team. “
“Last season we often had several players injured at the same time, like Lonzo [Ball]Zach [LaVine]Pat [Williams] or even me. So it would already be a very good start to be able to have everyone at 100%”
— Now let’s talk about the game, and in particular the Bulls. Last season, Chicago returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017…
” It was a great season. Well, it was a little frustrating too, because of our various injuries, but I’m already looking forward to the next one considering what we were able to do when we were full. I want to erase this disappointment and this frustration of the end. “
— The Eastern Conference is becoming increasingly dense and raised. What do you think Chicago will need to truly compete with teams like Milwaukee, Boston, Miami or Philadelphia?
” Already, it would be great to be able to have the whole team physically fit. Last season we often had several players injured at once, like Lonzo [Ball]Zach [LaVine]Pat [Williams] or even me. So it would already be a very good start to be able to have everyone at 100%. We have great players in the squad and I can’t wait for everyone to finally be able to return to competition.“
— On a more personal note, you keep getting better with time. Do you realize how far you’ve come since 2019?
“ It’s crazy, but my motto has always been the same: do better year after year. I’m a very competitive person, I love basketball and naturally I have a lot of fun on the court. In reality, I’m just content to do my job. That is to say, play and then progress each summer, to come back even better the following season and try to win the title. “
— How did your four seasons with the Lakers help you become the player you are today?
” It allowed me to gain a lot of experience. I was placed directly in the spotlight, I had a lot of exposure from my early years. Playing in such a team, in contact with such players, and then finally winning a title, it was just a great experience for me. It allowed me to be immediately confronted at the highest level and to be able to play at such a level almost every night, it really helped me to move forward. “
— On the floor, your agreement with LeBron James was quite impressive to observe…
” We understand the game the same way so it was pretty simple [de s’entendre]. We have a few qualities in common, since we both want to win, we’re both good teammates, we’re both competitive and we both want to play in the best possible way. So there was more to play precisely, and have fun together, night after night. “
“The most important thing for me is to make the right decisions on the court”
— What do you think you need to improve to become even better as an individual?
“ All. I set pretty high goals for myself in all areas and I don’t think I’ve achieved them yet. I believe I can do better in all areas. But the most important thing for me is to make the right decisions on the court. Whether in ball management, creation, individual and collective defense, shooting or attacking the circle. “
— Tell us your secret: how do you become a fan favorite wherever you play?
“ [Il sourit] Oh, I just think it has to do with the way I play. I play really hard, never let up and I feel like the fans just love it. “
— What is the best memory of your career so far?
“ The title. Many players in the team told me that it did not happen often, that it was not given to everyone to have a team competitive enough to win a title. Take the example of Rajon Rondo: he was champion in his first season [sa deuxième en réalité, ndlr] and he had to wait 12 years before becoming so again… So this title was really something very special to me. “
“I would love to get into one of the top two defensive fives. It would really be a wonderful accomplishment for me, knowing that I have never been drafted.
— A specific goal for the rest of your career?
“ I would love to get into one of the top two defensive fives. It would be a really great accomplishment for me, considering I’ve never been drafted. Of course, I also want to win a new title, because when you win one, you want others immediately. It’s something very addictive… “
— In four months, you will return to Paris for the second time in a very short time. I guess you will be playing tour guides for your teammates this time around…
“ [Il rit] Oh yes, absolutely! I’m already practicing: I’m learning a few words in French to teach them better afterwards and I’m collecting the addresses of some good restaurants, some nice places to go… “
— As you have seen today, you are also very popular in France…
“ I did not imagine [être si populaire] here. I knew there were a lot of basketball fans in France, but that there were so many, it was really unexpected. So I thank them very much for all this support, I sincerely appreciate it. If we practice this sport, it’s obviously because we love it, but we also practice it for all those people who support us. “
Interview in Paris, September 8
| Alex Caruso | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2017-18 | ALL | 37 | 15 | 43.1 | 30.2 | 70.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 3.6 |
| 2018-19 | ALL | 25 | 21 | 44.5 | 48.0 | 79.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 9.2 |
| 2019-20 | ALL | 64 | 18 | 41.2 | 33.3 | 73.4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 5.5 |
| 2020-21 | ALL | 58 | 21 | 43.6 | 40.1 | 64.5 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 6.4 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 41 | 28 | 39.8 | 33.3 | 79.5 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 7.4 |
| Total | 225 | 21 | 42.2 | 36.6 | 73.6 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 6.2 | |
