OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder announced Sunday that they have signed Alex Caruso to a multi-year extension.
Caruso’s agent, Greg Lawrence, confirmed ESPN’s report that it is a four-year, $81 million deal.
The Thunder added the 30-year-old Caruso in an offseason move that sent Josh Giddey to Chicago. Caruso has fit in seamlessly, averaging 5.7 points and 2.4 assists and ranking sixth in the league with 1.9 steals per game. He has provided a veteran presence on one of the league’s youngest teams.
With Caruso and Lu Dort creating havoc against opposing backcourts, the Thunder have a Western Conference-best 22-5 record. Oklahoma City leads the league in defensive rating, opponent field goal percentage, opponent 3-point percentage, opponent points per game, turnovers forced, steals and deflections.
Caruso established himself as an elite perimeter defender in four years with the Los Angeles Lakers and three years with the Chicago Bulls before joining the Thunder. He was on the all-defense first team in 2023 and the second team in 2024.
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Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, right, tries to steal the ball from Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, center, as Thunder guard Alex Caruso, left, defends during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
CATALAO, Brazil (AP) — Santa Claus braved the sticky heat of the Amazon rainforest this weekend, taking two boats to bring gifts to the children of a small village near the Brazilian city of Manaus.
The visit was arranged by Amigos do Papai Noel, a Brazilian charity that has been taking gifts to children in the Amazon rainforest for the past 26 years.
“For the children of the rivers, the people of the countryside, nothing new happens,” said Raimunda Ferrera Vieira a community leader in the village of Catalao, which received Santa on Saturday. “This here for us was a gift from God.”
More than 600 children from different villages gathered in Catalao to receive presents from Santa, who dressed in his traditional nightcap, white gloves and red suit, while enduring the stifling jungle heat.
To get to the kids, the Brazilian Santa sailed on a large boat down the Amazon river, then paddled a canoe along a swampy tributary.
Dozens of volunteers formed a line to Santa’s boat to help him unload his holiday cargo of stuffed animals, dolls and soccer balls. And two of the helper even had to carry Santa off his boat to prevent his boots from getting wet, due to the lack of a pier.
According to Amigos do Papa Noel, changes in the weather have complicated gift deliveries.
This year, the water levels of the two largest rivers in the area, the Amazon and the Rio Negro, are still low. So children had to gather in a community where the river was deep enough for Santa’s boat to arrive.
“We knew this would be difficult” said Pedro Carvalho Filho, a computer programmer who manages Amigos do Papai Noel. “Usually on this day we make three deliveries to the riverside communities.”
Still, Santa said all the sweat and toil was worth it.
“Every child in every community always smiles back” said Santa impersonator Jorge Alberto Moreira. “Wherever you go there’s a smile, it’s a great joy.”
Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, waves as he arrives on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to children who live in the riverside communities of the Amazon, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, presents a gift to a young resident after arriving on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to children who live in the riverside communities of the Amazon, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, joins young residents in a pick up soccer game after arriving on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to the children, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, is embraced by a young resident after arriving on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to children who live in the riverside communities of the Amazon, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
A young Amazonian resident strikes a ball towards Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, who gave the ball to the boy after Barroso arrived on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to children, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, is carried by his helpers after arriving on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to children who live in the riverside communities of the Amazon, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, waves as he arrives on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to children who live in the riverside communities of the Amazon, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Jorge Barroso, dressed as Santa Claus, is received by young residents after arriving on a boat to distribute Christmas gifts to children who live in the riverside communities of the Amazon, in Iranduba, Brazil, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
