Jose Alvarado is fueled up to prove he’s more than the moniker ‘Grand Theft Alvarado’: “I want to be one of the best point guards in the league” 

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado has blossomed into an important rotation piece in the NBA. Not bad for a player who went undrafted in 2021.

Alvarado has become a fan favorite with his defensive ability. Nicknamed "Grand Theft Alvarado," due to his defensive ability, the 24-year-old point guard wants to be remembered as more than just an energizer off the bench.

The spirited guard has started to prove his worth on the court. In an expanded role in 2022-23, Alvarado has shown that he can be a valuable asset. He's averaging 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in just 19.8 minutes per game. After shooting just 29.1% last year as a rookie, Alvarado is making 36.5% from 3-point range this season.

In a recent interview with The Athletic's Will Guillory, Jose Alvarado talked about how he wants to prove his worth in his second season. Alvarado spoke on how he understands that defense is his calling card, but he wants to show more.

“A lot of people told me that the sophomore year is a slump year for some guys," Alvarado said. "I didn’t want that to be on my name. I wanted people to say, ‘Oh, he improved. What else can he do?’

“Obviously, the GTAs and playing defense is who I am. I accept that. But I’m also a complete basketball player. I can be a great point guard. I’m a knockdown shooter. I think there are a lot of things I can do on the court to help this team.”

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Jose Alvarado and the New Orleans Pelicans off to promising start in 2022-23

New Orleans Pelicans guards Jose Alvarado and CJ McCollum

The New Orleans Pelicans came into the season with plenty of excitement. With a team full of youthful talent and veteran stars, New Orleans looked like a team on the rise.

While the Pelicans roster had plenty of star power, they also had some unique assets in their rotation. One of them was energetic point guard Jose Alvarado. Listed at 6-foot, Alvarado uses his speed and energy to make impactful plays all over the court. But in just his second year, the talented guard from Georgia Tech is starting to show there's more to his game.

The Pelicans (11-7) have won five of their last six games heading into Friday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. From there, the Pelicans will face the OKC Thunder and Toronto Raptors next.