The Oklahoma City Thunder secured their first-ever NBA championship on Sunday night. While the young squad celebrated wildly in the locker room, one moment showed just how fresh this group was to championship glory. They didn’t even know how to pop champagne. Fortunately, they had a seasoned winner in Alex Caruso to show them the ropes.
Caruso, who won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, was the only player in the locker room with title-winning experience. As the team entered the celebration room, they were greeted with bottles of champagne. Unfortunately, not a single player knew how to open them.
“AC, HOW WE DO THIS?” That’s what several Thunder players asked Caruso.
“AC, HOW WE DO THIS?”
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) June 23, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder players are so young that they don’t know how to pop champagne & they had to ask ‘Unc’ Alex Caruso for help 😂🍾
31 year old Alex Caruso, the veteran, the 2x NBA champion, had to get the party started! 😂🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/X7pL7qSXud
Without hesitation, Caruso grabbed a bottle, expertly popped the cork, and then threw it into the air with intensity. It wasn’t just about opening champagne; it was a teaching moment. He wanted the young Thunder roster to feel what it meant to truly savor a championship.
While many of his teammates had been making waves throughout the series, Caruso’s personal contributions had come into question after a quiet Game 6 performance. Despite playing 22 minutes, he went scoreless in that outing.
However, Caruso came alive in Game 7 when it mattered most, scoring 10 points and grabbing three rebounds in 32 critical minutes off the bench.
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Alex Caruso Weighs In On Winning Title With Oklahoma City
For Alex Caruso, this title means more than his first. In 2020, he was part of a Lakers team stacked with experience and star power. With the Thunder, he was a mentor and “Unc” to his young teammates. In the postgame press conference, Caruso reflected on the moment.
“Yeah, now I got a real one. Now nobody can say anything. Yeah, I think just because of the way the team is constructed now versus the team I had in 2020, like it was much harder with this team just because of the experience,” Caruso said.
Now, with two rings on his fingers, there’s no doubt Caruso has earned his place among champions.
