The Pickpocket: Alex Caruso's impact on Texas A&M Basketball

Even the best-raised children at times may give in to temptation.

A candy bar or a toy is within reach and — if no one is looking — they may take it.

It’s a learning experience. They learn if you take what isn’t yours, a trip to the woodshed follows.

As a child, Texas A&M basketball player Alex Caruso never stole a candy bar. He never stole a toy. In fact, he probably never stole anything. If he did, it was basketball cards that used to come packaged with bubble gum.

“I don’t have any vivid memories, but I remember there was a shoebox in my room full of them,” Caruso recalled recently. “I don’t remember how I got them.”

Caruso seems to have similar amnesia about the 224 passes he’s pilfered on the basketball court during his career at Texas A&M.

Six of those steals came in last Saturday’s 78-68 victory over Kansas State. If he gets five more against Baylor on Saturday he will break the school record of 228 set by David Edwards back in the ‘90s.

“That’s pretty cool,” Caruso said. “The crazy thing is if you were to ask me how you do it, I’d just say I’m playing and having fun. There was nothing in my mind that I would come here and set the record for this or that. It’s just been over the course of four years having the opportunity to play — maybe when I shouldn’t have — and playing with energy is just how it came about.”

Perhaps he’s just being modest, but Caruso says there is no art to getting steals. He says it’s just a matter of luck.

But 224 steals (and counting) doesn’t happen by luck alone. There is intense preparation, which includes closely watching video tape. There is a willingness to gamble. There is the fact that basketball is in his blood. There is a high basketball IQ as well as underrated athletic ability.

Caruso grew up in a basketball household. His dad, Mike, who does radio commentary on A&M basketball games, played and coached collegiately. Caruso also was an A&M ball boy during the days of Billy Gillespie.

The aggressive defense of Gillespie’s teams made an impression on him.

“I’m just blessed with the ability to be a very conscientious player and an intelligent player. I probably get some of that from my dad since he was a coach and a player,” Caruso said. “I’ve watched a lot of basketball. We watch a lot of film to know the other guys’ tendencies. It’s really just reading the game.

“It’s also a willingness to play defense. One thing I’m always excited about is getting a stop, stopping the other team. A little bit of pride goes into that.”

All those factors have contributed to Caruso’s pickpocket propensity.

“It takes a little bit of luck and a lot of risk,” he said. “The ones I’m not supposed to get are the ones that Coach (Billy) Kennedy goes crazy over because every now and then I miss and then the other team gets an easy shot. It’s high-risk, high-reward.”

Some might have said the same about Caruso four years ago.

He was a solid prospect coming out of A&M Consolidated High School, but wasn’t considered a cornerstone recruit for building a program. In fact, A&M beat out Colorado to sign the local kid.

Yet, the Aggies have yielded a high reward. Caruso developed into one of the most versatile players in the Southeastern Conference.

Although not a true point guard, he was moved there out of necessity and responded by leading the SEC in assists and steals last season.

Indeed, he’s also dished out 508 assists in his career, which is the fifth most in school history. He has a realistic shot at also breaking Edwards’ school record of 602.

“No one expects the skinny, lanky white guy to come out and do things, especially the athletic things I do,” Carsuo said. “That’s fine with me. That’s kind of what molded me into being the confident guy I am.”

Actually, that’s not true. People are expecting great things from Caruso. That’s why he was named to the preseason All-SEC team.

He’s also a major reason that A&M is now ranked 24th in the nation and expected to reach the NCAA Tournament this season.

The Aggies can make a major step toward participating in March Madness against Baylor (7-1), which last season destroyed the Aggies, 77-63, in Waco.

The Bears are now ranked 16th. They’ve posted six consecutive victories, including a come-from-behind 69-67 win over SEC contender Vanderbilt. The Aggies' RPI would surely spike if they can get a victory over Baylor.

Maybe Caruso will help them steal one.