As the New York Knicks mounted one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, erasing a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in June against the San Antonio Spurs, Knicks reserve guard Jose Alvarado refused to overthink the moment. Alvarado, who at a generously listed 6 ft. checks in as one of the shortest players in the NBA, electrified the celebrity-soaked Madison Square Garden crowd; his defensive effort, two critical three-pointers, and a driving layup down the stretch helped the Knicks chip away at San Antonio’s seemingly insurmountable lead. It was like, ‘Let’s do it, let’s go have fun, and let’s enjoy this moment.’ And that’s exactly what I did.’” Three nights later, Alvarado fulfilled an impossible dream: he won an NBA title with his hometown team.
The Knicks ended their 53-year championship drought, and Alvarado, a hard-nosed spark plug of Puerto Rican descent who grew up honing his game in the playgrounds of Brooklyn and Queens, came to embody the resilience of not only the team he suited up for but also the people of his city—especially his fellow Puerto Ricans, whom he’s so proudly represented in the global spotlight. At every stage of Alvarado’s career, he was written off. You can’t take this guy,’” says Josh Pastner, the former Georgia Tech coach who recruited Alvarado out of Christ the King High School in Queens.
Come on, man.’” Alvarado was named conference defensive player of the year in 2021; Georgia Tech won the ACC tournament championship that season. He knows he doesn’t look the part. But he’s now an NBA champion who signed a three-year deal, worth more than $14 million, with the Knicks this summer.
Alvarado credits his success to his New York City outer-borough upbringing. He asked Pastner for $60,000 in name, image, and likeness money—chump change in today’s lucrative college sports economy. But five years ago, NIL rules hadn’t been formally put in place, so Pastner didn’t pay him.
Alvarado bet on himself and went into the NBA draft. I would maybe have a Final Four underneath my belt.” Although Alvarado didn’t get drafted in 2021, the New Orleans Pelicans signed him to a contract: in the Big Easy, he carved out a role as a defensive specialist, earning the nickname Grand Theft Alvarado. Then, in February of this year, Alvarado learned that the Pelicans had traded him to the Knicks.
Leaving his teammates in New Orleans was bittersweet, but Alvarado fit right in with the Knicks: less than a week after the team acquired him, Alvarado scored 26 points, with eight three-pointers and five steals, against Philadelphia in just 19 minutes off the bench; he was the first reserve NBA player in history to record such sterling stats. These efforts, and the Knicks’ title, now offer him cult-hero status in New York. In late June, Alvarado brought the NBA championship trophy to Puerto Rico, where fans snapped his picture as he arrived at the airport.
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