Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
FLUSHING, NY — New York Knicks guard José Alvarado, earning the nickname “Grand Theft Alvarado” for his ability to sneak up from behind for a steal at any moment, stole the show Wednesday in Queens ahead of the Mets defeating the Reds, 4-2.
With the 28-year-old Brooklyn-born Puerto Rican and the Knicks fresh off winning the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Monday night in Cleveland to mark New York’s first trip back to the Finals since 1999—now awaiting their opponent, the Western Conference champion (Spurs-Thunder) with Game 1 of the Finals scheduled for next Wednesday, June 3rd—Alvarado, along with his fiancée Flor Castillo and loved ones, made a stop to Citi Field.
Upon arrival, appearing out of the Mets’ dugout on the first-base side at around 4:30PM ET, the scene immediately turned to them as the center of attention. And although Alvarado is listed at just six-feet, any New Yorker in the ballpark could point the hometown kid out from the gecko.
Dozens of media—many of whom covered Alvarado’s high school playing days at Christ the King in Middle Village, Queens—frolicking over while fans cheered and asked for an autograph, which he took the time for, all during his conversation with Mets co-owner Alex Cohen, the wife of Steve Cohen, who is also of Puerto Rican descent, growing up in Washington Heights.
Alex and Steve’s son, Josh, later gifted Alvarado and his family a package of Puerto Rican-styled Mets hats as well as customized Alvarado Mets jerseys with his No. 5.
This past February, José Alvarado, spending his collegiate career at Georgia Tech, was acquired by the Knicks in a trade with the Pelicans – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
José Alvarado was all smiles Wednesday as the Brooklyn-born Puerto Rican guard continues to live out his dreams of playing for the Knicks and helping New York get back to the NBA Finals – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
And that wasn’t all. It got even better from there.
Alex and Josh delivered Alvarado and Castillo, expecting a third child together, two specialized Mets-Puerto Rican Coquí frog plushes, holding a Puerto Rican flag.
Alex Cohen and Josh Cohen gifted José Alvarado and his fiancée Flor Castillo a special package Wednesday afternoon during their visit to Citi Field to watch Reds-Mets – Image Credit: Latino Sports
Then, if that wasn’t enough, to officially start off the night, right before first pitch between the Reds and Mets, Alvarado was introduced to the Citi Field crowd and voiced out:
“Let’s go Knicks baby, let’s play ball!”
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