With the OKC Thunder preparing to face the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals, Alex Caruso, the Thunder guard, has made some surprising revelations. Known for his elite defensive prowess, the fan favorite shared an unexpected team-building activity. And after a 68-win season, they definitely deserve this treat.

Oftentimes in a high-stakes profession like professional sports, athletes are seen as paragons of physical prowess and mental toughness. The demand for peak performance and the fear of failure can lead to anxiety and depression. After their 113-104 loss against the Denver Nuggets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander responded to the taunts thrown his way. “It is easy to taunt when you are up. I don’t ever want to show them that I’m defeated or mad,” he said, showing the reality of the situation for athletes who are harassed when they lose. They put added pressure on themselves to prove themselves in every game. So, it is important to take time off to recuperate from the energy loss and spend time away from the sport.

Therefore, when Alex Caruso shared in an interview with NBA TV that the team spent time with family in between the series, it made fans happy that their favorites were taking a break. Caruso told NBA TV, “Between the two series here. Honestly, not a lot…we stuck to staying at home and hanging out without our family.” However, that does not mean the team did not get together to celebrate their exceptional performance this season. “We went and saw Sinners as a team, we went to a movie theatre…it was really good,” Caruso continued. Well, we can agree we all liked Sinners!

Fun fact: J-Dub the OKC All-Star is a big movie guy and has apparently seen the movie three times!

With that, let us now move to the surprise visit Shai received from a fellow shooting guard from the league.

Surprise visit leads to an honest confession by the OKC star

The Thunder have waited for more than a decade for this moment. While, without a doubt, this has been a monumental season for OKC. The season has also seen SGA develop as a generational player. With an average of 32.7 points and 5 rebounds, the MVP has taken a lot of pressure on himself. In an ECF Game 5 interview, he said, “This isn’t our goal…We have one more round, and we just need to keep getting better.” So, the obvious question that arises is, how does the athlete stay focused with so much noise around him?

In a post-game interview, the 76ers‘ shooting guard, Jared McCain, questioned the Thunder star, “What do you do on the mental side of it to stay prepared, stay focused in these high-pressure situations?” And SGA responded with a simple, “I completely plug out like I turn my TV off…I don’t watch basketball like I just spend time with my family, my friends, and I try to like remove myself completely.” The MVP’s emphasis on unplugging and recharging underscores the significance of mental health in sustaining through a demanding NBA season.

And as the Finals commence, the Thunder’s strategic preparation and mental fortitude. Led by Shai, will position them as a formidable foe against the Pacers. With both teams looking forward to ending their championship droughts, the upcoming Finals series is going to be a showdown of skill, resilience, and mental strength.