Undrafted and undersized point guard Jose Alvarado has had to dig his nails into the dirt and scratch his way to a regular role in the NBA. The New York Knicks spark plug exudes tremendous intensity and vexing defense on the court, but he is also an igniter in the locker room. He has not had the luxury of coasting during his career. Neither the New Orleans Pelicans nor Knickerbockers, or anyone else for that matter, is obligated to stick with an inexpensive player who is not a foundational piece.
Alvarado has to always keep his foot on the gas, otherwise his minutes could rapidly decrease. He is talented, to be certain, but it is that endless determination that has allowed him to become a valuable supporting cast member on a squad that is just three wins away from winning a championship. The Brooklyn native wants to instill that quality in his teammates as well, including his former ones.
He had some blunt advice for Derik Queen, who spent the first half of his rookie campaign with the man they call Grad Theft Alvarado. The Pelicans center is working as an NBA Finals contributor, and he decided to take the opportunity to gather more knowledge.
“What’s some advice you’d give me now that I finished my Rookie year?” Queen asked, via the Hoop Central X account. “Shut up and listen,” Alvarado responded. A fun exchange then ensued. “I was bad?!”
“Sometimes.” Jose Alvarado has gotten this far by not holding back, and he is obviously not going to be timid now. He did elaborate, however, providing the former Maryland star with an important perspective to keep in mind moving forward.
“You learn from the moments,” the 28-year-old told Queen. “Just be yourself. You got an important year coming up… so you better have a great summer. And I'm happy for you.”
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Derik Queen: “What’s some advice you’d give me now that I finished my Rookie year?”
Jose Alvarado: “Shut up and listen.”
Derik Queen: “I was bad?!”
Jose Alvarado: “Sometimes.”
🤣🤣🤣. (via @NBA)
pic.twitter.com/snmqr14iLu
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 4, 2026
The No. 13 overall pick in the NBA Draft and All-Rookie Second-Team selection expressed appreciation for Alvarado's counsel and praised him for lifting up his head following a bad play last season. Derik Queen must continue to hold his head high and plow through the humbling experiences, because more are sure to come.
The 21-year-old big man is under suffocating pressure to succeed in New Orleans following the organization's controversial decision to trade its 2026 first-rounder to the Atlanta Hawks in order to acquire his draft rights. It is not Queen's fault that the Pelicans sacrificed a top-10 selection, but he is now saddled with the burden of living up to their expectations. Thankfully, Jose Alvarado, Karl-Anthony Towns and others are gifting him some valuable wisdom.
While Alvarado and the Knicks prepare for a Game 2 showdown with the San Antonio Spurs, Queen will visualize a promising second year in the NBA.
Undrafted and undersized point guard Jose Alvarado has had to dig his nails into the dirt and scratch his way to a regular role in the NBA. The New York Knicks spark plug exudes tremendous intensity and vexing defense on the court, but he is also an igniter in the locker room. He has not had the luxury of coasting during his career.