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The replacement caught fans off guard, as Johnny Manziel had been announced earlier in the week as the guest picker. No official reason was provided by the College GameDay team for the last-minute change.
ESPN's College GameDay delivered a surprise during its live broadcast from College Station, Texas, on Saturday (December 20), ahead of the College Football Playoff first-round matchup between No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami. Originally slated to feature Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel as the celebrity guest picker, the show instead introduced Oklahoma City Thunder guard and former Texas A&M basketball star Alex Caruso for the popular picks segment.
The switch caught fans off guard, as Manziel had been announced earlier in the week. No official reason was provided by the College GameDay team for the last-minute change, and Manziel remained silent on the matter. Reports noted that Manziel was spotted in Miami the night before, attending a high-profile boxing match.
The unexpected change
College GameDay pulled double duty this playoff weekend, with Friday's show in Norman featuring Oklahoma legend Brian Bosworth. Saturday's edition at Kyle Field was set to spotlight Johnny Manziel, a Texas A&M icon known as "Johnny Football." He had previously appeared as a guest picker for the Aggies' season opener against Notre Dame.
However, during the broadcast, host Rece Davis introduced Alex Caruso as the guest picker. This marked Caruso's debut on the show, bringing a fresh energy from a different Aggie sport.
Who is Alex Caruso?
Alex Caruso, a College Station native, stayed close to home for his college career, starring for Texas A&M men's basketball from 2012 to 2016. He earned SEC All-Defensive Team honors and second-team All-SEC recognition, finishing as the program's all-time leader in assists and steals. Caruso was the heart of the 2015-16 squad that reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
Undrafted out of college, Caruso made his way to NBA success. He started in the G League before joining the Los Angeles Lakers, contributing to their 2020 NBA championship. After stints with the Chicago Bulls, where he posted a career-high 10.1 points per game in 2023-24, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the 2024-25 season, Caruso played a vital role off the bench for the Thunder's dominant championship run, helping defeat the Indiana Pacers in the Finals for OKC's second title. He averaged around 7 points in the regular season but stepped up in the playoffs, including two 20-point games in the Finals series. The Thunder rewarded his impact with a four-year, $81 million extension.
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