Since entering the league in 2009, new Sacramento Kings star DeMar DeRozan has played alongside many notable NBA players on numerous teams. In his 15-year career, DeRozan has played alongside players like Kyle Lowry, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pascal Siakam, and Zach LaVine. However, the California native mentions a relatively surprising name as one of his favorite teammates of all time–Alex Caruso.
On a recent episode of Paul George‘s podcast (YouTube link), DeRozan spoke about his time with the Chicago Bulls. DeRozan mentioned that he appreciated the teammates he had in his three-year stint with the team. Additionally, he specifically named Caruso as “probably my top three favorite teammates of all time.”
“One thing I really appreciate about my time in Chicago was definitely my teammates. All of them. From Coby White to Pat Williams, Vuc, Zach, Lonzo, all those guys that I played with. It was a special time. I gained a different type of bond with most of those guys that was there for sure. My dog AC. That’s my favorite… Listen, my bad AC [for not naming earlier]. Caruso… I gotta put this out here. Caruso is probably my top 3 favorite teammates of all time. I love that dude man. I love… I love AC man. He knows. He knows how I greet him every time. That’s my dog,” DeRozan said.
The two played alongside each other with the Bulls from 2021 to 2024. Both of them will wear a new uniform next year, however. In addition to DeRozan joining the Kings, the Bulls traded Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey.
DeMar DeRozan Names Alex Caruso as One of His Favorite Teammates
Alex Caruso Has Praised DeMar DeRozan in the Past
It seems that DeRozan’s sentiment is potentially a mutual feeling. Earlier this year, Caruso spoke about DeRozan, saying he was “thankful” to have him on the Bulls.
“Really thankful he’s on our team. He’s a competitor. He goes out there every night and does his best to help us win the game,” Caruso said.
Furthermore, Caruso talked about what made the former Toronto Raptors star such a unique player. The guard mentioned DeRozan’s ability to make “the right plays late in the game.” Additionally, he called DeRozan “a winner at heart.”
“A lot of times, it’s making the right plays late in the game. It’s sometimes more than just making a shot. It’s big rebounds tonight, it’s boxing out against their guys that are crashing hard and then finding Vooch on the mismatch down low for the layup to keep us up three. He just is a winner at heart,” Caruso added.
The Last Word
DeRozan played alongside many players in the league and made numerous deep playoff runs in his career. Because of that, it is a bit surprising he listed Caruso as one of his favorite teammates considering they only made the playoffs once as teammates. However, DeRozan’s comments are a good indication that Caruso is likely a great locker room presence. Additionally, he is a pesky player who knows how to contribute to contending teams. Now that they are back on opposing teams once again, their battles next season may be worth watching.
