Jose Alvarado says it doesn’t feel real—tears, prayers answered, and a Brooklyn kid now stepping into the Knicks’ first NBA Finals in 27 years against the Spurs at Frost Bank Center.
SAN ANTONIO — When Jose Alvarado found out he was coming home, he couldn’t hold it together. Tears slid down his cheeks.
His parents had the same reaction.
Alvarado is from Brooklyn, went to Christ the King High School, and now—more than a jersey number—he is part of the Knicks’ first trip to the NBA Finals in 27 years. On the eve of the NBA Finals opener against the Spurs at Frost Bank Center, he described a feeling he struggled to put into words.
“It’s really something I can’t put in words. I’m blessed,” Alvarado said. “I can’t even say it’s a dream, I never thought about being in the finals playing for the Knicks. But I’m here, I’m extremely excited. I’m a kid from the city living a dream.”
Growing up, he rooted for the Knicks. He also can’t imagine what the city would be like if they end their 53-year championship drought. During this run, the energy has already gone beyond the usual.
“Knicks fans taking over opposing arenas in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Cleveland” has been part of what’s made this run feel different, and Alvarado leaned into that idea when describing what the atmosphere has been like around the team.
“The atmosphere is always going to be amazing,” he said. “That’s just New York.”
Alvarado’s path to this moment has been anything but straight. The Knicks traded for him in early February. bringing him in as backcourt depth when Miles McBride was sidelined due to injury. His role shifted again later in the regular season—he fell out of the rotation—but it changed in the postseason. when he regained his place as Jalen Brunson’s backup.
In the playoffs, Alvarado has become a noticeable part of the second unit. He is averaging 4.2 points and 1.1 assists, numbers that don’t capture everything about how he’s been used. His pressure defense and nonstop energy have helped him fit with what the Knicks have emphasized as a gritty group.
“They got me for a reason,” he said. “It’s something that’s easy to be a part of, when everybody is on the same page defensively. That’s what we are, we know defense can win us games or at least give us a chance, and that’s what we do at a high level.”
Before New York, Alvarado already knew what it felt like to be underestimated. He had been an underrated high school prospect at Christ the King in Queens. then went undrafted despite a strong career at Georgia Tech. He earned his way into the league with the Pelicans, and now he is here on the biggest stage.
“I always think of [my journey]. I want to try to continue the story,” the 6-foot Alvarado said. “You’re a reporter — I’m your height. That’s not really normal in the NBA.”
Then he tightened the message even more, the way people do when they’re determined to make a point land.
“Just keep doing what I’m doing, man. The story is not over and I just want to continue writing it and give everybody hope. Don’t say nobody can’t do it. I am living proof.”
For Alvarado, the dream isn’t just basketball. It’s the idea that a kid from the city can reach the place he once couldn’t even picture—tears and all—and still be fighting for what comes next.
Jose Alvarado Knicks NBA Finals Spurs Frost Bank Center Jalen Brunson Miles McBride Charles Wenzelberg Brooklyn Christ the King High School Georgia Tech Pelicans 27 years 53-year championship drought
27 years is insane lol. Spurs better watch out.
Aww man tears and prayers answered?? I feel like they’re gonna win just because of the vibes. Also Brooklyn kid coming home to the Knicks like that is actually wild.
Wait he got traded in February and then got benched but now he’s in the Finals?? So basically the Knicks just lucked into the right rotation at the right time. Doesn’t that usually mean the coach’s decisions were wrong before that?
Frost Bank Center sounds like a grocery store in Texas. Why would it matter though lol. Anyway if Knicks fans are “taking over” like they say, that usually means the other team’s fans are quiet or the crowd’s too stressed. I’m not even sure how Jose Alvarado plays but he’s Brooklyn so go get it I guess.