{"id":17351,"date":"2023-02-03T12:54:02","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T20:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thespearsjsu.com\/?p=17351"},"modified":"2023-02-03T12:54:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T20:54:07","slug":"where-improbability-meets-opportunity-thetory-of-alvaro-cardenas-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thespearsjsu.com\/?p=17351","title":{"rendered":"Where improbability meets opportunity: The story of Alvaro Cardenas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20<\/a>) \u2013 Basketball Beat Reporter<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Photo courtesy of Jake Barger of SJSU Athletics <\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Alvaro Cardenas<\/a> thought he overcame all unthinkable obstacles to play Division I basketball for San Jose State in June of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spanish Embassy amidst a global pandemic let him know he hadn’t thought of everything<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Now the problem is trying to get a visa and they shut down the [Spanish] Embassy in Barcelona so there is only one in Madrid,” said Cardenas, who was born and raised in Granada, Spain. “There’s no appointments until December of the next year and I need to be here in August.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately for Cardenas, he had an unrelenting support system working in his favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His mom was up at 4 a.m. everyday checking for appointments, while SJSU head coach Tim Miles was trading direct messages with Spanish Embassy officials on Twitter and reaching out to congressman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen one day all of the sudden a couple of appointments opened up,\u201d said Cardenas. “It was a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was wheels up for Cardenas, and since he arrived in San Jose, the Spartans too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His 10.2 points per game, hustle and keen leadership have made him a co-captain and gifted SJSU (13-9, 4-5 MW) its most conference wins since the 2016-17 season<\/a>. Moreover, its second double-digit win season since 2010 and lifted the Spartans 220 spots in the NET, from 333rd a year go to now ranked 113th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There’s no doubt that Alvaro has had a huge impact on our emergence,\u201d said Miles, now in his second-year as SJSU head coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alvaro Cardenas helping fellow Spartan Sage Tolbert up during SJSU’s win over Fresno State on Jan. 10. Cardenas had a career-high 20 points in the Spartans’ victory (via Jake Barger of SJSU Athletics)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In his introductory press conference in April of 2021, Miles said he wanted “scrappy” players. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He asked and he received someone who personifies that cliche, age-old sports trope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Alvaro has been a late bloomer, a small guy all his life,\u201d said Cardenas\u2019 father David, who coaches basketball in Spain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forever undersized and doubted, but forever making sure it didn\u2019t stand between him and success.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Cardenas vividly remembers his then 13-year-old son skipping down a set of stairs at 10:30 p.m. after studying for hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2018Are you going to have dinner?\u2019 David asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To which Alvaro replied, “No, I have to train. Later.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alvaro Cardenas bottom row second from right posing for a team picture at 11-years-old (Courtesy of Alvaro’s father David Cardenas)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Whether or not 13-year-old Cardenas knew it, his life would always revolve around a ball, a hoop and a will to improve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While David was well-known and revered in the basketball community, he never pushed Alvaro to take basketball seriously. But with his son\u2019s passion, obsession and promise he began to tap into his network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the very beginning of his basketball journey, David told Alvaro one thing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It doesn’t depend on you, it depends on somebody who can trust you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That became prophetic thanks to David’s close friend and basketball contact Ramon Carbonell, who now works as a scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, Carbonell wasn\u2019t that “somebody,” but he helped introduce Cardenas’ to a man who became that somebody:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gilbert Abraham. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A well-respected skills trainer, who has spent decades fine-tuning a swath of NBA talent, Abraham helped run and coach the Get Better Academy in the Czech Republic. With his decades of well-proven expertise, David had confidence that Abraham could help Alvaro fulfill his dream of playing Division I basketball in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Gilbert Ayotunde Ndako Abraham (@ganabraham)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>