The Latino duo helping fuel the Knicks’ historic NBA Finals run

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) scores as New York Knicks Jose Alvarado (5) and centre Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defend during the first half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series on June 10, in New York. (Frank Franklin II/AP via CNN Newsource)

After the New York Knicks’ thrilling comeback victory during this week’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Karl-Anthony Towns delivered one of the funniest lines of the night at a press conference.

Asked about his Knicks’ teammate José Alvarado’s skill and impact on the court, Towns smiled and said: “It’s tough for me to be a Dominican talking about a Puerto Rican like this.”

The room erupted in laughter. So did Alvarado.

The joke tapped into a longstanding, mostly friendly, rivalry that has existed for decades — Dominicans and Puerto Ricans debating everything from baseball and basketball to music, food and national pride.

But it also highlighted what the players represent in New York.

For generations, Dominican and Puerto Rican communities have helped shape the sound, flavour and spirit of New York City. Their flags fly from apartment windows, their music fills summer block parties, and their passion fuels basketball courts across the five boroughs.

Now, two players carrying those same traditions are helping lead the Knicks on one of the most memorable postseason runs in NBA history.

And for many Latino fans, that means something far bigger than basketball.

Towns, the Knicks’ All-Star centre, grew up in New Jersey and was selected first overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Before arriving in New York, he spent nine seasons in Minnesota, earning multiple All-Star selections and establishing himself as one of the league’s top big men.

Towns, whose mother Jacqueline Cruz-Towns was born in the Dominican Republic, has proudly embraced his Dominican identity throughout his career.

As a teenager, he chose to represent the Dominican Republic on the international stage, despite interest from the USA. He helped lead the Dominican national team to a gold medal at the 2012 Centrobasket Championship, the top regional tournament for national teams from the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico, becoming a source of pride for Dominicans at home and across the diaspora.

That connection feels especially powerful in New York. No city outside the Dominican Republic is more closely associated with Dominican culture. In neighbourhoods like Washington Heights and Inwood, Dominican flags hang from storefronts and apartment balconies while basketball courts serve as gathering places for the community.

When Towns began playing for the Knicks, many fans viewed it as a homecoming. “He’s home,” Mike Jones, coach of the street basketball squad Dominican Power, told the New York Post in 2024 after the trade.

For Towns, the journey has also been deeply personal. In 2020, he lost his mother to complications from COVID-19, a tragedy that reshaped his life and career.

Throughout the Knicks’ playoff run, Towns has frequently spoken about carrying her memory with him. “I can feel her presence, and I’m just trying to make her proud.”

If Towns represents one side of the Latino basketball story, Alvarado represents another.

The Brooklyn native who is of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, was largely overlooked by many scouts because of his size. At just six feet tall (1.8 metres) –– small by NBA standards –– he went undrafted out of Georgia Tech before carving out a role with the New Orleans Pelicans and then traded to the Knicks earlier this year.

Today, his signature steals and fearless style have earned him the nickname “Grand Theft Alvarado” and made him one of the league’s most beloved role players.

Like Towns, Alvarado has embraced representing his roots and has become one of Puerto Rico’s most recognizable basketball ambassadors.

In 2025, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade named Alvarado its Athlete of the Year, recognizing both his accomplishments on the court and his impact on the Puerto Rican community.

“To represent my Puerto Rican roots in such a meaningful way is a dream come true,” Alvarado said while accepting the honour. “This is not just for me, but for everyone who has supported me along the way.”

A growing fanbase

Both players are also part of a much larger story: the history of Latinos that have been helping shape professional basketball for decades.

In 1978, Puerto Rico’s Alfred “Butch” Lee became one of the first Latino players in the NBA, helping open doors for future generations.

Players such as Carlos Arroyo, J.J. Barea, Al Horford and Manu Ginóbili later demonstrated that Latino athletes could become stars, champions and future Hall of Famers.

Today, 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.

And their influence extends well beyond the athletes themselves. Latino communities have become some of the league’s most passionate fan bases, filling arenas, organizing youth leagues and helping grow the sport in cities across the United States.

That passion for the game is especially visible in New York.

Walk through Washington Heights, the South Bronx, Bushwick or Jackson Heights on a summer evening and you’ll find packed courts where Spanish and English blend together as naturally as crossover dribbles and jump shots.

So, for many young fans across the city, seeing Towns and Alvarado succeed on one of the NBA’s biggest stages is about much more than 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.