The New York Knicks just ended a 27-year championship drought, and now the question on everyone’s mind isn’t about a Game 6 or a parade route — it’s whether the team will accept an invitation to the White House.
Guard Jose Alvarado is keeping it simple. When TMZ caught up with the backup point guard after the Knicks’ NBA Finals win over the San Antonio Spurs, Alvarado made it clear he’ll follow the team’s lead. “If there’s a chance, I’m going wherever my teammate goes,” he said, sidestepping any political weight the visit might carry.
That deference makes sense for a guy who joined the Knicks midseason via trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. Alvarado is still finding his footing in New York, and he knows this kind of decision belongs to the locker room as a whole.
A Commander-in-Chief Who’s a Knicks Fan
President Donald Trump has openly supported the Knicks. He was in the crowd at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 — a 115-106 loss that briefly put the Spurs back in the series. Given that history, an invitation is widely expected. But whether the team accepts remains up in the air.
Alvarado’s on-court contributions were modest in the box score — he averaged 4.2 points per game during the finals — but his impact was felt in the most critical moment. In Game 3, with the Knicks down big early, he provided a spark off the bench: eight points, two rebounds, three assists, and a 75% shooting clip in 16 minutes. That effort helped fuel a 29-point comeback that shifted the series momentum back to New York.
Team Decision or Not, the Parade Comes First
Before any White House conversation, the Knicks will hold a championship parade through New York City on Thursday, June 18. City officials are expecting massive crowds to celebrate the franchise’s first title since 1973 — and the first since the Knicks lost the 1999 finals in five games.
This year’s run was far more dominant. New York won Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio, dropped a tight Game 3 at the Garden, then erased a 29-point deficit in Game 4 to grab a 3-1 series lead. They closed it out in Game 5 with a four-point win that sent the Spurs packing.
Alvarado, who went undrafted in 2021 out of Georgia Tech, has become a cult hero among Knicks fans for his relentless defensive pressure and that Game 3 spark. But when it comes to the White House, he’s just along for the ride.
The team has not confirmed whether they’ll accept an invitation. According to reports, the players are expected to discuss it as a group once the parade dust settles. For now, Alvarado’s attitude is the unofficial team motto: wherever the room goes, he goes.
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