Jose Alvarado isn’t sure what to make of Victor Wembanyama’s Finals exit. The Knicks guard, a New York native who grew up in the area and came back home via a mid-season trade, shared his honest take on Wembanyama walking off the court without shaking hands after San Antonio lost the NBA Finals to New York.
Alvarado talked about it on The Breakfast Club. And he didn’t give a simple yes or no answer.
“I got mixed emotions. I’m a competitor, too. I stare my enemies down,” Alvarado said. “I shake their hand. It’s a game. You don’t like the moment. You lost probably the biggest game of your career. But you’re going to have more moments. I feel like the way he did it was a little too crazy for me [because] I loved how he competes during the game.”
So Alvarado respects Wembanyama’s competitive fire. He just thinks the handshake thing crossed a line. It’s one of those takes that feels honest in a way players don’t always sound when they’re on a mic.
The Spurs star caught plenty of criticism for not shaking anyone’s hand after the series ended. Meanwhile, Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson made a point to seek out San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson after the final buzzer and hugged his own father, Rick Brunson, who works as an assistant for the Knicks. Two different approaches. Night and day.
Alvarado’s take comes at a moment when the Knicks are still riding the high of their first NBA title in over 50 years. Wembanyama’s decision not to engage after a hard-fought series is going to be one of those things people bring up for a while. Especially in New York.
Alvarado’s high school coach weighed in on the title run
During the Finals, a familiar face from Alvarado’s past showed up on SNY Knicks to talk about the journey. Coach Joe Arbitello, who coached Alvarado at Christ the King High School in Queens, didn’t hold back about what it meant to see his former player make it.
“It’s hard to be a fan. My stomach is in knots,” Arbitello said. “I can’t take the emotional roller coaster…I’m living and dying on every play for this kid. And then sometimes I just sit back and think to myself, ‘He’s playing in the NBA. If the worst possible thing that happens to him is that he loses, people would pay for that, that kind of success that he’s had.’”
He ended on a simple note: “It’s just such a special moment for him and it’s a special moment for me and it’s a special moment for everybody that loves that kid.”
Alvarado’s first full season with the Knicks starts in 2026-27. He’s already a fan favorite in the Garden. And clearly, he’s not afraid to say what he thinks about the guy on the other side of the court.
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