Bulls’ Caruso honored with NBA’s Hustle Award

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso was named the winner of the NBA’s annual Hustle Award on Thursday afternoon.

Caruso, 30, averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists 1.7 steals and 1 block per game this season — one of nine qualifying players to average at least a steal and a block. Long considered one of the league’s toughest and grittiest players, Caruso was an All-Defensive first-team selection last season and is a strong candidate to land on one of the league’s two All-Defensive Teams later this month.

The Hustle Award “honors players who make the traditional effort plays that don’t often appear in the traditional box score, but impact winning on a nightly basis.”

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was second in the voting, followed by Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort and Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart had won the award in each of the last two years as well as in 2019. Other previous winners are Thaddeus Young, Montrezl Harrell, Amir Johnson and Patrick Beverley.

The NBA will announce its other individual award winners — Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year — later this month, along with the selections to the All-NBA, All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams.