Priest had been celebrating the New York Knicks' 2026 NBA championship on Saturday night before appearing at the parade alongside his girlfriend, Vice. The pair walked the route as part of a broader turnout of New York sports figures marking the annual event.
Knicks Stars Lead Parade Turnout
New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado had an early celebration parade of his own after the Knicks captured the 2026 NBA title. Alvarado was seen in attendance at the Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday afternoon and was even on a float with Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Alvarado was also joined at Sunday's parade by Knicks teammate Jordan Clarkson, and fans serenaded them with chants of "Knicks in five!"
An NYC native, Alvarado was born in Brooklyn and starred at Christ the King High School in Queens. He arrived in New York as part of a midseason trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, and he quickly endeared himself to his hometown team and its fans. He was proudly and unanimously proclaimed as the "most New York" player on the Knicks.
Alvarado's Finals Run and Parade Remarks
Alvarado averaged 4.2 points in a reserve role during the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. However, he managed to make an impact in a multitude of ways. He routinely shared the ball-handling duties with star point guard and NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, and he scored eight points in the Knicks' epic Game 4 comeback victory.
Standing on a float during the parade, Alvarado addressed the crowd directly.
Thank you guys so much, it means the world to me. Really,
He also reflected on what the title meant to him as a Brooklyn native.
I'm a kid from Brooklyn. And the Knicks party f--kin' did it.
Priest and Vice at the Parade
While the Knicks celebration dominated much of the parade spotlight, Priest and Vice represented WWE at the same event. Priest holds the WWE Tag Team Championship, and Vice reigns as NXT Women's Champion. Their appearance came one night after Priest publicly celebrated the Knicks' championship win on Saturday, placing both WWE stars in the middle of a citywide title celebration that carried into Sunday's Puerto Rican Day Parade route.
