Jose Alvarado, Days After Winning a Title, Interviewed the NBA’s Next Big Thing

Jose Alvarado is having a month that most guys only dream about. First he helped the Knicks end a 53-year championship drought as an energizer off the bench. Now, just ten days later, he’s working the red carpet for the 2026 NBA Draft as a New Era Player Correspondent.

Alvarado caught up with AJ Dybantsa, the 19-year-old former BYU forward who’s almost certainly going No. 1 overall on Wednesday night. The Knicks guard walked in with a grin and a simple prediction. “We got a superstar coming,” he said before asking Dybantsa about his outfit and his mindset heading into the biggest night of his life so far.

Dybantsa showed up in a Kenzo-heavy look, but he made sure to shout out someone who mattered more than the clothes. He paid respect to Terrence Clarke, the Massachusetts native and fellow hoops prodigy who died in a car crash in 2021. That moment grounded a night that’s otherwise full of bright lights and anxiety.

“Just anxious to see what’s gonna happen,” Dybantsa said. The All-American and NCAA scoring leader didn’t try to hide the nerves. He’s about to hear his name called first, and he’s letting himself feel it.

There’s something poetic about Alvarado being the guy asking questions here. He went undrafted in 2021. Nobody gave him a guaranteed contract. And now he’s got a ring and a front-row seat to the draft he wasn’t invited to five years ago. He can’t change history, but he can appreciate the view.

Meanwhile, Alvarado has his own business to handle. His $4.5 million player option deadline got pushed back to June 26 to give the Knicks more cap flexibility. That’s a team-friendly move, but it’s also smart. He’s coming off a championship. His value is as high as it’s ever been. Waiting a few extra days to decide? That’s leverage he earned the hard way.

For now, though, he’s just living in the moment at the draft. Alvarado bounced between interviews, cracked jokes, and soaked in a scene he never got to experience as a prospect. The undrafted kid turned champion correspondent. That’s a full-circle moment you can’t script.