Alex Caruso first made it in the NBA, and has since become one of the league’s most revered role players because he’ll do anything to win. A matchup. A possession. A game. Whatever it takes, Caruso is going to play, and particularly defend, like his job depends on it every night, using any possible tactics to get an upper hand on his opponent.
Think this is an exaggeration? Well, the court would like to introduce as evidence what shall henceforth be referred to as the shoe block. You genuinely might never see this again in your life.
It happened late in the second quarter of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Caruso lost his footing, and as a result, his left shoe, as he settled into a defensive position. But the possession kept going. So Caruso did the same, picking up his shoe and carrying it with him as he closed out on Wendell Carter Jr., eventually sliding over in help to strip down on and block Tristan da Silva’s shot with his shoe.
I repeat, Caruso blocked da Silva’s shot with his shoe. Have a look.
Here’s the play in its entirety, along with a nice explanation from the official as to the ruling.
As noted, Caruso didn’t get away with his crime. He was hit with a goaltending call and a technical foul. But nobody cares about that. This is legendary stuff. The dude blocked a shot with his shoe. Cleanly! Got nothing but ball on that strip.
A goaltending call and technical foul in the second quarter of a mid-March game that the Thunder wound up winning anyway? To become a legend? Well worth it. Caruso has long been a beacon of hope for every NBA player who has ever endeavored to carve out a workingman’s career, but this is above and beyond. This is the punctuation of proof that not all heroes wear capes. Or, as it turns out, shoes.
