It was quite a play.

In Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, Knicks point guard Jose Alvarado took on 7’4″ Victor Wembanyama and hit a pull-up jumper, not to mention he was fouled. ABC Play by Play announcer Mike Breen called Alvarado fearless.

What You Need To Know

  • New York Knicks point guard Jose Alvarado played high school basketball at Christ the King in Queens 

  • Alvarado is playing in the NBA Finals for his hometown team 

  • He grew up in Williamsburg and Flushing and attended college at Georgia Tech

That moment for Alvarado may not have been possible if not for the lessons learned inside the gym at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, Queens.

Principal Joseph Arbitello has also been head coach of the varsity men’s team here for 18 years and has coached for 25 years. 

“It’s the only guy that I have coached that went to the NBA finals and it couldn’t be more special a guy from Brooklyn being able to do that,” said Arbitello of Alvarado, who grew up in Williamsburg and Flushing and was a standout player at a school that has a history of basketball success for both the men’s and women’s teams.

That includes Lamar Odom, Speedy Claxton, Khalid Reeves, Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tina Charles, just to name a few. 

Arbitello said Alvarado is a frequent visitor and is helping the school with reconstruction projects in the library and a locker room. The Queens native added that watching Alvarado play can be nerve-wracking.

“I can’t even watch it, I feel like I get butterflies in my stomach; it’s like I’m coaching him here again in the city championship game,” said Arbitello.

In a “wow, what a small world” scenario, Christ the King Dean of Students and assistant men’s varsity coach C.J. Council is the uncle of San Antonio Spurs player Julian Champagnie. Champagnie grew up in Kensington, Brooklyn, and played at Bishop Loughlin High School. 

That included matchups against Alvarado and Christ the King in the Catholic High School League.

“Just the idea of both these two kids from the city from the league playing against each other, the fact that they are there is almost unbelievable,” said Council, who has also coached college basketball. 

Arbitello said Alvarado’s greatest attribute is loyalty. He added that the 2017 graduate, who went on to a successful four-year career at Georgia Tech before the NBA, had great advice for today’s players and students.

“When he walked into our locker room, he said most of you are bigger than me, most of you are more athletic than me, some of you may even shoot it better than me, but I’m in the NBA which means it takes a little bit more than just skill,“ said Arbitello. 

Alvarado said it’s about persevering through adversity in anything that you do, which he learned growing up in Brooklyn and Queens and during his time at Christ the King.