New Orleans rookie point guard Jose Alvarado shares something in common with fellow Pelicans first-year pro Herbert Jones, in that both were named major-conference players of the year in 2020-21 – Alvarado claimed the ACC honor, while Jones captured the SEC’s award. On NBA draft night in August, however, their paths diverged, with Jones being chosen in the second round by New Orleans, while Alvarado was not among the 60 picks.
As Alvarado explained, however, going undrafted is something he spent very little time dwelling on this summer. The Georgia Tech product was thrilled to have an opportunity to get his foot in the door at the professional level, whether that might be in summer league or with a ticket to the G League.