When Caruso first played pro basketball, he wasn’t anybody’s idea of a key to an NBA championship contender. In fact, he wasn’t even in the NBA.

Caruso’s ticket to his promotions—a permanent NBA gig, a better second and third contract—wasn’t being able to speed to the rim or rise up for a dunk. It was understanding the million little ways NBA offenses work…and the million little ways that you can disrupt them.

He studied the game like a med student cramming for boards. He scrutinized the way a point guard dribbled, the play a team liked to run in a certain situation.

“I had to take the long road to getting to where I was going,” Caruso said. “I learned tendencies, I learned plays, I learned calls. From there, I’m able to anticipate.”