Why Alex Caruso Using His Shoe to Block a Shot Led to Two Costly Calls Against Him

NBA fans learned a new rule when a sock-footed Alex Caruso let the intrusive thoughts win.

Alex Caruso swung his shoe at a layup attempt on Tuesday. | Chaz NBA / YouTube

The Thunder beat the Magic 113-108 on Tuesday night behind another 40-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Alex Caruso came off the bench to score just two points, but finished with a team-high plus-19.

And even more importantly than that, he helped everyone learn something new.

Caruso was on defense in the second quarter when he stepped awkwardly and lost his shoe. Without missing a beat, Caruso picked up his sneaker and continued to play defense. The ball was swung to Wendell Carter Jr. and Caruso closed out on him. Carter, possibly not realizing he was being defended by someone in just one shoe, immediately gave the ball up to Tristan da Silva who drove the ball into the paint.

As da Silva started to take the ball up with his left hand Caruso swatted at it with his sneaker and successfully knocked the ball away.

And that is when the learning happened.

While the announcers laughed about the play the officials huddled. After a brief discussion they called Caruso for a technical foul and counted the basket as everyone involved learned that hitting a ball with a shoe during a shot attempt is grounds for a goaltending call.

Since the double-violation didn't end up costing Oklahoma City in the end, Caruso was able to laugh about the situation after the game.

Asked Alex Caruso about his shoe block:

"I've never been in that situation before. And, I don't know, it came to me. I just thought I was gonna block it, and I honestly don't know what I thought the call would be. I didn't know it was going to be a goaltending and a tech. If I… https://t.co/3jtUlOazzn pic.twitter.com/qoJbTrqvDB

— Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) March 18, 2026

"I honestly don't know what I thought the call would be," said Caruso. "I didn't know it was going to be a goaltending and a tech. If I had known that I probably wouldn't have done it. 'Cause it's an automatic bucket, and he didn't even put the ball above the rim. As soon as I had my shoe in my hand, it crept in my mind to use it. Not like in a malicious way, but like ‘Let me try to make a play to stop the ball.’ It's just one of those weird NBA plays that probably won't happen for like another 10 years."

Previous Basketball Shoe Incidents

Since no one had ever seen this before, 10 years might be an understatement. The general consensus seems to be that no one had ever blocked a shot with a sneaker during a game before, but shoes coming off during games is nothing new. In fact it’s so common that ESPN put together a nine-minute compilation of Kevin Durant losing his shoes seven years ago.

Dwyane Wade once threw Mike Bibby's shoe when it came off during a Heat-Knicks playoff series in 2012.

Stephen Curry has also thrown a shoe, but it wasn't an opponent's. It belonged to teammate Marreese Speights.

Of course, none of those shoes were used for defensive purposes.

We have to turn to college basketball to see anything like what Caruso did. Angel Reese once blocked a shot while holding her own shoe in the other hand. And just a few months ago Myles Rice of Maryland picked up his own shoe and threw it at the ball while a Georgetown player was driving to the basket.

Bro threw his shoe at the ball to try and steal it 😭 pic.twitter.com/h2rO2JOnCf

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 8, 2025

Based on that video it seems like there was confusion about what the actual rule was. Now that players have seen what happened to Caruso it seems unlikely that anyone will try it again, but you never know. Sometimes shoe happens.

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