“I’m at the Garden, I won, I’m doing the interview with y’all, and my people are right there! You can’t make that up!!”: Pelicans rookie Jose Alvarado thanks Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram for gifting him 20 MSG tickets

Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart made the day for their rookie teammate Jose Alvarado, and he returned the favor with his game of the season.

Jose Alvarado, the rookie who went undrafted in 2021 had a career night on Thursday at the Mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden. The 23-year-old who averages just over 9 minutes a game for the New Orleans Pelicans had 13 points and 4 assists in the game that they won comprehensively.

It was a big night for the point guard not just because he was playing in MSG but because he was playing in front of his family, relatives, and friends. The two-way contract player took the most of the opportunity he got in this game.

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In the 10 extra minutes Jose got more than his average game-time, in front of a familiar audience, the 6’0 guard stole the basketball 4-times. Those steals proved crucial as the Pelicans won the game 102-91 from Knicks to improve their record to 17-28.

But the game meant a lot more for the 2021 ACC Defensive Player of the Year than just his breakthrough game. He has Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram to thank for it.

Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram gift Jose Alvarado 20 MSG tickets

The Georgia Tech alumni who grew up in the Big Apple is being taken care of by the team’s experienced players. The former Lakers duo presented their first-year man with 20 tickets to the game in New York.

“When I saw the fans start coming and people that I know and how much they were showing me, love, I felt like it was one of those nights,” Alvarado said. He looked pretty excited and emotional after the game.

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Jose not just thanking his teammates but also vowing to do the same for other rookies in the future shows his maturity. These little things make the sport more than just a game.