The New York Knicks’ historic NBA Finals run is being fueled by the team’s Latino duo, Karl-Anthony Towns and José Alvarado. Towns, the Knicks’ All-Star center, and Alvarado, a Brooklyn native of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, are making waves in the NBA and inspiring young Latino fans across the city.
Representing Their Roots
Towns, who grew up in New Jersey and was selected first overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, has proudly embraced his Dominican identity throughout his career. He chose to represent the Dominican Republic on the international stage, despite interest from the USA, and helped lead the Dominican national team to a gold medal at the 2012 Centrobasket Championship.
Alvarado, on the other hand, was largely overlooked by many scouts due to his size, but has carved out a role with the Knicks and become one of the league’s most beloved role players. He has also become one of Puerto Rico’s most recognizable basketball ambassadors, and was named Athlete of the Year by the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in 2025.
A Larger Story
The success of Towns and Alvarado is part of a larger story about the history of Latinos in professional basketball. Players such as Carlos Arroyo, J.J. Barea, Al Horford, and Manu Ginóbili have demonstrated that Latino athletes can become stars, champions, and future Hall of Famers.
The NBA includes players whose roots trace back to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, and other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. Their influence extends well beyond the athletes themselves, with Latino communities becoming some of the league’s most passionate fan bases.
In New York, the passion for basketball is especially visible, with packed courts in neighborhoods such as Washington Heights, the South Bronx, Bushwick, and Jackson Heights. For many young fans, seeing Towns and Alvarado succeed on one of the NBA’s biggest stages is about more than just a championship – it’s about imagining themselves in an NBA jersey and realizing that the future of basketball looks more and more like their communities.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
