Jose Alvarado grew up playing the game in Brooklyn and played at Christ the King HS in Queens.
So when he heard the ovation from the crowd at Madison Square Garden as he checked in late in the first quarter in his home debut as a Knick, it hit him.
“It’s different,” Alvarado said. “Playing for the Knicks is a big thing, but I’m literally a kid from the same street as the fans, and to be a part of it all here is a blessing. It’s something I had to get used to and to get it out of the way, let’s get the ball rolling.”
About the reaction itself, Alvarado said: “It was amazing. As a kid from the city, the city gives me love back, it’s one for the books. I really can’t explain it.”
Of course, the outcome was far from ideal, as the Knicks suffered their worst loss of the season, a 137-134 overtime loss to the dreadful Pacers. And Alvarado finished with just four points in 18:13, though he did have five assists.
“It’s not the outcome we wanted, but I can tell you this: it was a blessing to be there,” Alvarado said. “I can’t wait to continue to grow and get better.”
He had a large number of fans on hand. When asked about the number of people in his group, Alvarado said, “A lot.”
“I was definitely nervous today,” the point guard said. “There was a lot going on. I was happy to get out. I can’t wait to come back and get better and win some games here.”
And while the former Christ the King star had some good moments, it was far from his best as the Knicks couldn’t pull away.
After leading the Knicks to a convincing win on Sunday in Boston, Alvarado didn’t check in until there were 2:05 left in the first quarter.
When Alvarado came out of a Knicks timeout, he received a loud ovation even as the team trailed by one point.
It didn’t take long for Alvarado to make an impact, first saving Jalen Brunson from a turnover and later assisting on Brunson’s three-pointer while in possession. He also dived into the stands to save another asset.
But in the end there were too many mistakes from Alvarado and his teammates.
Still, better moments will undoubtedly follow for Alvarado in his hometown.
“It was always great for him to come home,” Joe Arbitello, Alvarado’s high school coach at Christ the King, said before his former player’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. “For it to happen as a Knick takes it to another level.”
Arbitello was among those in attendance supporting Alvarado and it is an atmosphere the coach believes Alvarado will thrive in, even if that was not the case on Tuesday.
“I think he’ll have a great time here, just like always,” Arbitello said.
But unlike some other players who might play with extra intensity in front of their home crowd, Arbitello said things might be different for the New York native.
“He will be the same player he has always been. He will play with the same strength that we saw from him every day, in every game and every training.”
So the Garden’s spotlight won’t change its former star?
“It doesn’t matter where he is,” Arbitello said. “He could be at the Garden or at a recreational match. He will be the same guy and play as hard as he can.”
That’s why Arbitello is among those who believe he will excel as a Knick and earn praise from the Garden faithful.
“If he plays like he did in New Orleans or anywhere else he’s been before and he does it here, I think he’ll be a fan favorite,” Arbitello said. “He brings what New York fans love: toughness, hard nose and winning basketball. We’ve seen him for years and when he comes here he will be electric.”
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