Chicago Bulls: 1-Time Champion Becomes the Latest Winner of the NBA Hustle Award

Before Caruso, Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart won the award thrice in back-to-back seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and 2018-19. The other previous winners of the award were former Chicago Bulls forward Thaddeus Young (2020-21), Montrezl Harrell (2019-20), Amir Johnson (2017-18), and Patrick Beverley (2016-17).

The NBA Hustle Award is given to players who consistently make the effort plays that go beyond the traditional box score but impact winning for their teams.

In the 2023-24 season, Alex Caruso was ranked first in deflections (3.7), fifth in loose balls recovered (1.0), seventh in charges drawn (0.17), 60th in contested shots (5.0), 61st in screen assists (0.5), and 89th in box outs (0.4) per game.

Alex Caruso beat out the likes of Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes, Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Luguentz Dort, and Charlotte Hornets’ Grant Williams.

Alex Caruso, a key player for the Chicago Bulls

Alex Caruso was coming off an All-Defensive First-Team selection last year and he upped his game this season, with regular-season averages of 10.1 points (career-high), 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 steals (fourth-best in the NBA) per game on 46.8 percent shooting from the floor and 40.8 percent from three-point land. 

However, those numbers don’t tell the full story about his impact on the game for the Chicago Bulls. When he was on the floor, the team had a 110.6 defensive rating, the second-best in the NBA. And when he was off the floor, the defensive rating dropped to 117.0, good for 24th.

Alex Caruso joined the Chicago Bulls in 2021 when he signed a four-year, $37 million contract. He has been linked in various trade rumors in the past two seasons, but the team held firm in keeping him because of what he brings to the table.