QUEENS (WABC) — For Knicks forward Jose Alvarado, playing on the team he cheered for a kid is a dream come true.
But his journey started at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, Queens where Jose was a stand-out athlete.
“The same thing that the Knicks love about him, is what I loved about him,” said Joseph Arbitello, the school’s basketball coach and principal.
Jose’s stealth moves on the court – regularly catching opponents off guard – earned him the nickname “Grand Theft Alvarado.”
Arbitello watched as the then-ninth grader, who grew up in Williamsburg, morph into a powerhouse player.
“He kind of worked on his jump shot. He was shooting about 40% from 3 in his senior year,” said Arbitello.
He would go on to play at Georgia Tech, then the NBA – first for the Pelicans and then the Knicks, who will play in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
Johnny Magna, a current player on Christ the King heading to Lasalle on a full scholarship, says he texted Jose to wish him congratulations.
“I didn’t think he would respond because his phone was blowing up,” said Magna.
But he did, telling Johnny “Appreciate it” with a heart emoji.
“We all want to get to where he’s at and he did it by playing really hard. He’s living the life everybody wants to,” said Magna.
Jose knows the welcome mat here at his former high school is always out.
“Whether he’s playing in my camp games or playing the NBA Finals, winning is so important to him,” said Arbitello. “I was so happy for him…seeing him reach his goals and what he really wanted to do with his life.”
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