Two Texas A&M alumni are generating legitimate buzz as NBA training camps open for the 2026-27 season — and neither story is a throwaway feel-good item.
Alex Caruso: Role Unknown, Conviction Intact
Alex Caruso arrived at OKC Thunder media day with a candid admission: he's not sure what his role will look like this season. That kind of uncertainty would rattle most veterans. Caruso isn't most veterans.
The former Aggie told reporters he's ready to compete for whatever the coaching staff needs, expressing full confidence in the Thunder's direction despite the ambiguity. For a team with championship aspirations, that mentality matters more than a guaranteed minutes allocation.
What's drawing just as much attention is what Caruso said about rookie big man Aday Mara. At media day, Caruso offered reporters a glimpse into Mara's offensive toolkit, suggesting the young center could give Oklahoma City a credible answer to San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama — a problem that has vexed the Thunder in recent postseasons. Coming from a player known for his defensive IQ and film-room seriousness, that endorsement carries weight. If Mara is as advertised, Caruso's veteran presence in the locker room may be part of what unlocks him.
Khris Middleton: Washington's Unlikely Anchor
Meanwhile, in the nation's capital, Khris Middleton is stepping into a different kind of spotlight. The Wizards, now built around a youth movement headlined by the likes of AJ Dybantsa and Tre Johnson, announced their 2026 training camp roster — and Middleton's name sits firmly on the forward line alongside that incoming wave of young talent.
According to Sports Illustrated, Washington fans should brace for Middleton to play a serious rotation role — more than many expected when the roster was assembled. As the oldest player in the Wizards' camp, Middleton isn't just filling a veteran minimum seat. The expectation, at least from the front office's vantage point, is that he contributes meaningfully on the floor.
For a rebuilding franchise, that's a calculated bet. Middleton's scoring and off-ball movement could ease the transition for younger players still learning how to create in the half-court — and his postseason résumé offers the kind of credibility no development coach can manufacture.
The Aggie Angle
It would be easy to write off two late-career veterans as footnotes in someone else's team story. But Caruso and Middleton are both entering camp with defined purposes: one as the self-aware glue piece on a contender, the other as the experienced anchor on a rebuilding squad leaning into youth. Different roles, different situations — same Aggie DNA.
Both are worth tracking as rosters shake out over the next two weeks.
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