- Jose Alvarado is a Pelicans rookie Guard. He hides behind opponents and sneaks up behind them to steal.
- Alvarado has confused players with his move, even his teammates.
- Alvarado, a defensive pest, was not drafted but he landed a $6.5 million 4-year deal with the Pelicans.
Nobody saw Jose Alvarado coming.
Undrafted, the rookie New Orleans Pelicans guard has enjoyed a remarkable season. He averages eight points, three boards, four assists and two steals per night off the bench, since the All Star break. In return for his two-way G League contribution, the Pelicans turned his two-year, $6.5m contract into a 4-year, $6.5m contract.
Alvarado’s most notable accomplishment is on the defense, where he has developed perhaps the most innovative move in the NBA, a sneak attack on opposing players in the backcourt.
Alvarado will move to the sidelines once he has made a basket. He sneaks up behind the ball-handler, steals or pokes away the ball from opposing teams, and when this happens, he will make a run for it.
On Wednesday, he pulled off an impressive feat against the Portland Trail Blazers, hiding in the corner and then running after the ball when the Blazers got it up the court.
—Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 31, 2022
Even though he hasn’t been able to steal, he’s often forced to turn the ball over by surprising the opposing player.
—Ricky O’Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) March 25, 2022
CJ McCollum was impressed with the skill of Alvarado’s Pelicans to guard him.
“I’ve never seen anything like that it in my life,”McCollum Christian Clark, Nola.com. “It’s crazy. He’s so fast. He takes himself out of the play. He’s getting everybody.”
Clark was told by Alvarado that he wants to keep his opponents on edge, but that it can lead him into trouble with his coaches.
“Just keeping the opponent on their toes,” Alvarado said. “Like, ‘Where’s Jose? Where’s Jose?’ That’s the main thing about it.
He added: “It isn’t as easy as it appears. You’ll be coached if you don’t do it. If I mess up, I know I need to go full speed back on defense.”
Alvarado has been a valuable commodity in New Orleans thanks to his clever moves.