It was the latest chapter in what will one day make a great biography-turned-movie script. Jose Alvarado was back at Christ the King High School in Queens Friday night where the New Orleans Pelicans point guard had his jersey retired in a pre-game ceremony.
Like most of what’s happened to Alvarado since leaving Christ the King for Georgia Tech and eventually finding his way onto an NBA roster, it was equal parts hard to believe and well deserved.
You see, Alvarado doesn’t look the part. He’s not 6-foot-6 with the ability to jump out of the gym. He’s not throwing down highlight-reel dunks that go viral on social media. He was never the most athletic player, not in high school, college or certainly the pros,
But he’s a scrappy hustler, getting the most out of his 6-foot frame. He’s not a superhero like LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo, larger-than-life figures. Alvarado is the working man’s hero, which is one of the reasons why he’s so beloved, especially at his alma mater.
It also explains why Alvarado didn’t arrive in Middle Village, Queens, Friday night alone. He was flanked by Pelicans teammates Brandon Ingram, Garrett Temple, Naji Marshall, Dyson Daniels, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Kira Lewis Jr and head coach Willie Green. They chose a packed high school gymnasium in Queens rather than a 5-star Manhattan restaurant to spend their night in New York.
Christ the King head coach Joe Arbitello isn’t surprised --Alvarado’s personality is infectious and he’s as grounded now as when he was walking the halls in high school.
“He is a special kid and so loyal to Christ the King,” Arbitello said. “He’s the reason you coach high school basketball.”
With chants of “Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose,” Alvarado stepped onto a court he dominated as a high school player, winning the CHSAA Player of the Year award as a junior when he averaged 17 points and 6.5 assists per game for the Royals.
A year later, Alvarado recorded the first quadruple-double in school history with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals against Xaverian.
“Christ the King is legit my family. This is like another living room to me,” Alvarado said. “My mom and dad feel at home here, my brother, everyone so it's just good to have this experience.”
Alvarado was presented with a framed No. 15 Pelicans jersey and his No. 10 from Christ the King. After this season, no one will wear that number again. He addressed the capacity crowd, closing out his speech by saying “once a Royal, always a Royal.”
“I know a lot of great players wore that number, especially in this building so for me to just get that recognition, it’s a humbling experience,” Alvarado said. “I’m blessed to come back here, not only being in the NBA, but come back here and see everybody, same faces and have my jersey retired is pretty amazing.”
What also speaks volumes of Alvarado’s ties to his alma mater is that he not only stayed to watch the Brooklyn/Queens championship game between the Royals and St. Francis Prep, but he was engaged throughout, chanting defense as he stood on the baseline in the closing stages of a thrilling encounter.
“It made me who I am, it’s part of my journey,” Alvarado said of Christ the King. “They made me grow as a person, they made me grow as a player, and they did a tremendous job and do a tremendous job with kids here. It’s a big part of why I'm so good now.”
Alvarado’s return to Christ the King resonated with junior Dwayne Pierce, a 6-foot-6 Iowa State commit who, in Alvarado fashion, scored 22 points and had the steal in the closing seconds to secure the Royals’ one-point championship win.
“It's amazing. For him to come back that's probably one of the best feelings ever because he really cares about Christ the King,” Pierce said. "Everybody, including him, comes back and shows love, gives us tips. It's amazing.”
Alvarado’s feel-good story continued after his graduation from Christ the King. At Georgia Tech, he was a four-year starter, becoming the fourth freshman in program history to average 12 points per game. As a senior, Alvarado was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and helped lead Georgia Tech to their first league title since 1993.
He went undrafted in 2021, but signed a two-way contract with the Pelicans that summer and the rookie dropped 13 points, four assists and four steals over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden last January, a moment Alvarado described at the time as a "dream come true.”
Two months later, the Pelicans rewarded Alvarado’s hard work, signing him to a four-year, $6.5 million contract.
This season, he's averaging 9.1 points and 3.1 assists per game, continuing to prove doubters wrong with his intangibles.
A week before his triumphant return to Christ the King, Alvarado was named MVP of the Jordan Rising Stars Game as part of NBA All-Star weekend, calling the winning buzzer-beating shot.
It was yet another remarkable milestone, another part of that Hollywood script.
“It is a movie script. I can't really describe it. It's a blessing,” Alvarado said. “I ain’t tall, but I’m doing it, I’m doing it for the city, I’m doing it for the family. It’s an honor for this journey so hopefully got a lot more going. It's only my second year so I need to keep it going and keep building memories.’”
