Rich Alvarez facts for kids
Alvarez in 2007
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| Basilan Starhorse | ||||||||||||||
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| Assistant coach | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | October 30, 1980 Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan |
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| Nationality | Filipino | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Ateneo | |||||||||||||
| PBA Draft | 2004 Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Shell Turbo Chargers | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2004–2016 | |||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2016–present | |||||||||||||
| League | MPBL | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Shell Turbo Chargers | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Alaska Aces | |||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Red Bull Barako | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | |||||||||||||
| 2010 | Air21 Express | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Kia Sorento / Kia Carnival / Mahindra Enforcer / Mahindra Floodbuster / Kia Picanto | |||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2018 | Mahindra Floodbuster / Kia Picanto (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | GenSan Warriors | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Basilan Starhorse (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Richard Alvarez (born October 30, 1980) is a Filipino basketball coach and former player. He was born in Japan. He currently works as an assistant coach for the Basilan Starhorse team in the MPBL. Richard played his entire career in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was the very first player chosen in the 2004 PBA draft by the Shell Turbo Chargers.
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Early Life and College Basketball
Richard Alvarez grew up in Yokosuka, Japan. There, he first played basketball for his high school team, Nile C. Kinnick High School. After finishing high school, he moved to the Philippines. He attended Ateneo de Manila University.
Playing for the Blue Eagles
At Ateneo, Richard became a key player for the Blue Eagles basketball team. He was known for his strong effort and hustle on the court. In 2000, during his second year, he won the important UAAP MVP award. He beat other great players like Mike Cortez and Enrico Villanueva.
In 2001, he won his second UAAP MVP award. However, his team did not win the championship that year. The Green Archers won their fourth straight UAAP championship.
Finally, in 2002, Richard led the Blue Eagles to win the UAAP title. This was their first championship since 1988. He had great teammates like LA Tenorio, Larry Fonacier, and Wesley Gonzales. They defeated the strong Green Archers team.
While playing as an amateur, Richard also played for teams in the Philippine Basketball League. He was also part of the Philippine national team. This team competed in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games and won a gold medal.
Professional Basketball Career
Richard Alvarez was the first player picked in the 2004 PBA Draft. He was chosen by the Shell Turbo Chargers. He was picked before his college rival, James Yap.
Starting in the PBA
Richard played his first PBA game in his team's second game. His first coach had benched him, thinking he wasn't ready. But when Leo Austria became the coach, Richard's playing time increased. He went on to win the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season. In his first year, he averaged 8.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He played in 72 games.
Moving to Different Teams
When the Shell team was about to leave the league, Richard was traded. He moved to the Alaska Aces with Tony dela Cruz. He played only one game with Alaska. Before the 2006 PBA Philippine Cup, he was traded again. This time, he went to Red Bull Barako. There, he reunited with some of his old college teammates.
In 2008, he was traded to Purefoods. The next year, he was part of a big trade that sent him to the Ginebra Kings. In 2010, he was traded again to Air21.
When his contract with Air21 ended, he joined Talk 'N Text in 2010. He was first signed for only one conference. But because of his helpful plays off the bench, he stayed with Talk 'N Text until 2013. In his last year with the team, he played less. He averaged 0.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in 20 games.
Playing for Kia
After his time with Talk 'N Text, Richard did not have a team for the entire 2013–14 season. However, when new teams like KIA, Blackwater, and NLEX joined the PBA, he tried out for Team Kia. He wanted to show he could still play well. His hard work earned him a spot on the Kia Sorento team for the 2014–15 PBA season.
PBA Career Statistics Summary
Richard Alvarez played 387 games in his PBA career. He averaged 4.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. His best season for rebounds was 2006–07, where he averaged 10.6 rebounds. He was known for his strong defense and effort.
Personal Life
Richard Alvarez started dating R&B singer Kyla (whose real name is Melanie Calumpad) in 2005. After six years, he asked her to marry him in January 2011. They got married on November 28, 2011. Their son, Toby Elsiah, was born on May 5, 2013.
