The NBA announced today that Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso has been named to the 2022-23 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team. This is Caruso’s first career NBA All-Defensive Team selection, becoming the first Bulls player to earn a first team selection since 2013-14 (Joakim Noah).
During the 2022-23 campaign, Caruso averaged 1.5 steals, 0.7 blocks and 3.4 deflections in 23.5 minutes over 67 games (36 starts). The six-year veteran ranked top-15 in the NBA in several notable defensive categories this season, ranking first in the NBA in steals per 100 possessions (3.0 – min. 1,500 minutes played), first in deflections per 36 minutes (5.2), tied for fifth in deflections per game (3.4), sixth in total deflections (226), tied for ninth in steals per game (1.5) and 14th in total steals (98).
The College Station, Texas native was one of five players in the NBA to finish the regular season with at least 95 steals and 45 blocks, and the first Bulls player since 2013-14 (Joakim Noah) to record such a feat. Caruso’s activity on the defensive end of the floor helped Chicago finish fifth in the NBA in defensive rating (111.5) in 2022-23, while leading the NBA with a 110.3 defensive rating between Jan. 1 and the conclusion of the regular season.
Caruso is the 14th player in franchise history to garner an All-Defensive nod and the third in the last 10 seasons (Noah, Jimmy Butler). He becomes the first Bulls player since 2015-16 to earn All-Defensive Team honors (Jimmy Butler).
The 2022-23 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team was selected by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Players were awarded two points for each vote to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and one point for each vote to the Second Team. Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points.
NBA All-Defensive selections first became official following the 1968-69 season.