Alvarado steals show, Murphy shines in Rising Stars Challenge

It is billed as the Rising Stars Challenge.

Younger NBA players who have showed promise, playing well, are given the opportunity shine.

Jose Alvarado is the first undrafted player to ever win the Rising Stars MVP, doing so Friday night on the opening night of All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City.

Are you surprised?

Alvarado was wired for sound and was animated and entertaining, as always. He exchanged banter with Donovan Mitchell, who was sitting courtside.

Alvarado had 13 points in his team’s first game and he hit the game-winning 3-point field goal in the title game to earn Most Valuable Player honors

As New Orleans Pelicans fans know, the smallest man on the floor has the biggest heard and competitive spirit. It is what drives Alvarado and makes him good.

Alvarado is wildly popular with Pelicans fans and his Pelicans teammates because of his amazing energy and effort which he brings in every game. He is unpopular with some opponents, due to his emotional, enthusiastic, aggressive style. That is the ultimate compliment. Nothing Alvarado does is against the rules, outside the lines. He simply plays 94 feet nightly within the lines.

Alvarado plays to win, even in an exhibition game.

Friday night was a perfect example.

Quentin Grimes of the Knicks scored 14 points in the title game but Alvarado was all over him, sometimes even holding him, to prevent Grimes from scoring.

Was what Alvarado doing within the rules? Apparently, it was acceptable.

“It might not have been, but he was doing good,” Alvarado said.

Trey Murphy III was also among those participating and Murphy gave a glimpse of perhaps what is to come in the Slam Dunk contest, punctuating play with multiple dynamic dunks.

It was a night for the New Orleans Pelicans, to be certain, a reminder that the future is bright.