NYC Mayor Joins Knicks Guard Jose Alvarado at Puerto Rican Day Parade

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marched Sunday in the Puerto Rican Day Parade alongside Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, less than 24 hours after the Knicks won their first NBA title since 1973.

Alvarado flew overnight from San Antonio to New York and joined the parade. A native New Yorker of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, he represents Puerto Rico in international competition and attended Christ the King High School in Queens.

Video from the parade showed Alvarado shirtless on a float, rapping Jadakiss' verse from Ja Rule's 2004 song "New York," with Mamdani singing along. Knicks teammate Jordan Clarkson was also on the float.

Alvarado was acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans in a minor trade and played a key stretch in the fourth quarter of the Knicks' 29-point comeback win in Game 4. The Knicks finished the series with a 94-90 victory in Game 5 over the San Antonio Spurs.

The full Knicks roster will ride floats in the team's official championship parade on Thursday.