Jose Alvarado was born on April 12, 1998, in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is an American national of Puerto Rican descent who showed great promise as a basketball player from a young age. Alvarado played college basketball at Georgia Tech, where he was known for his tenacious defense, playmaking ability, and leadership on the court. During his senior year, he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-ACC honors.