By Jeremy Perez
Jose Alvarado, the Brooklyn native who won a championship with the Knicks this past summer, recently received a hero’s welcome at the Cowboys vs Giants game in MetLife Stadium, and for good reason. Jose Alvarado represents Latinos on some of the biggest stages in the world and does so as an integral part of any team he’s on. He’s a perfect embodiment of the hardworking values that us Hispanics are taught as kids and now he gets to be a role model for the next generation.
His numbers and personal accolades may not jump off the page, but he’s exactly the type of player every team wants and needs. With the New Orleans Pelicans he was a coveted spark plug off the bench and eventually became the missing piece that the New York Knicks needed to finally break the 53 year long championship drought. But that’s not all he wants – his next goal is to finally win the 6th Man of the Year award. Ideally he would’ve won it by now, but his highest finish was (ironically enough) 6th place back in the 2023-2024 season. Although he’s undersized by today’s standards at just six feet tall, he’s got the tenacity and the contract length to finally achieve this goal in the most famous stadium in the world, Madison Square Garden. After signing a three-year, $14,384,484 deal this past summer to stay with the Knicks, he’ll have enough media to make sure the awards voters keep him in mind all year round. With the skills he possesses, he should have no issue making a long lasting statement this upcoming season.
With Alvarado starting off the prime of his career, not only is he repping Boricuas in the NBA, but he plays for team Puerto Rico in FIBA tournaments (the basketball equivalent of FIFA/the World Cup) and in the Olympics. As one of the star players for La Isla del Encanto, you can immediately see the pride he has in playing for Puerto Rico. Do yourself a favor and see one of these games, especially if they’re playing against the Dominican Republic; it’s some of the best energy you’d ever see. Especially now since in the bigger games, Karl-Anthony Towns (the Center for the Knicks) plays for DR, I just know their next matchup would be insanely fun.
Although he’s not exactly the new age J.J. Baera in the sense of play style, I do believe he is the new age J.J Baera in the sense of cultural impact for Puerto Ricans in the NBA. To be the only native New Yorker on the roster of the team to get them over the hump after generations, it’s truly special. There was something in the air when the Knicks won the championship, and I say that as an Orlando Magic fan myself. One who has been wanting for Jose Alvarado to be on my team ever since he was drafted. There’s a certain essence to him as a player.
Jose Alvarado is the type of player that’s for the everyman. He’s the one you want on your team, as the glue guy to keep the locker room together and do the small things on the court to make sure your team has as good of a shot as any to win. He’s your favorite player’s favorite player. Jose Alvarado is the hero that the now NBA champs needed in their time of most need under the brightest of spotlights and that’s why he’s worth writing about. He’ll be the unsung hero of this championship, but I know I’ll be singing his praises until others take notice.