From Granada, Spain to Boise, Idaho: The Alvaro Cardenas Story
Jordan Beasley
Fiery, competitive, passionate and fearless are words that are synonymous with the name Alvaro Cardenas. From everyday life to his play on the basketball court, those four words encompass and embody the 22-year-old Spanish guard.
From Granada, Spain to the United States, Cardenas’ story is one of triumph and perseverance. Beginning his journey with minimal opportunity to play at the collegiate level, Cardenas will forever be cemented as one of the best assist men to play in the Mountain West.
With an extreme thirst to showcase his talent and ability, Cardenas bet on himself at age 18 and eventually made the trek from his home country to the United States. Adjusting to the lifestyle and cultural differences was no easy feat, but for Cardenas, it was necessary.
The leap of faith he took a couple years ago propelled him into the position he’s in today. Cardenas is arguably the best pure point guard in the Mountain West, and he has solidified himself as one of the preeminent players at his position in the country.
From Spain to the Czech Republic to San Jose, Calif., Cardenas has traveled the world in pursuit of his dream¾to play professional basketball. While unconventional and circuitous, the various stops serve as the road map that’s landed him in Boise, Idaho.
Humble Beginnings
Growing up in the Iberian Peninsula, Granada is located in the southern part of Spain. Known for its architecture and culture, Granada is Cardenas’ birthplace and home.
The son of David (Cardenas) and Elisa (Torre), both of whom are college professors, Cardenas grew up with basketball in his blood. David, who has given a significant portion of his life to the coaching profession, has played a seismic role in his son’s development as a basketball player.
“Being the son of a coach is amazing,” Cardenas said. “My dad actually watches all the games live, and it’s like 4 a.m. back home. He sends me messages after every game and we talk about basketball all the time.”
With his father’s guidance and voice, Cardenas played for various clubs at different levels in Spain throughout his childhood and teenage years. It was David’s teaching and tutelage that prepared Cardenas for the next challenge once he realized he had a chance to be special.
Through research and connections, Cardenas stumbled upon Get Better Academy, located in the Czech Republic. A private international basketball institution, the GBA specializes in developing players and maximizing their potential.
“It’s essentially a prep school, where they have contact with college coaches. I moved to the Czech Republic, stayed there for a year and was able to get in contact with San Jose State and come to the U.S. when I was 19.”
The objective was to refine and further develop Cardenas’ skills, and Get Better Academy held up its end of the bargain. Feeling ready for the next step and challenge in his playing career, Cardenas made the jump to college basketball. Enter the NCAA.
Cardenas the Spartan
It’s May 2021, and Cardenas is in the Czech Republic waiting for an opportunity. He receives a text from David Miller, who’s now currently an assistant coach at Xavier University.
“[Coach Miller] was an assistant coach my first year under Coach Miles. They were building a program, needed a point guard and asked if I wanted to come play in the United States.”
Unfolding in the blink of an eye, Cardenas, his family, select mentors and the Spartans' coaching staff hopped on a Zoom call the next day, where he was offered a scholarship. He committed shortly thereafter, and the rest, as the saying goes, was history.
There’s no denying the difference in athleticism and how the game is played in the United States compared to other places globally. Knowing there would be a transition period, Cardenas had the confidence he could play and contribute right away.
As it turns out, he proved himself right. Cardenas started 22-of-31 games as a true freshman and averaged 6.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
His play on the court that season was indicative of the work he put in from the moment he arrived in San Jose. His pre- and post-practice regimen and dedication to the weight room during the initial summer months is what Caleb Simmons, former teammate and close friend, remembers about Cardenas.
“He adopted an ideology of greatness,” said Simmons. “You really don’t see young people doing that, especially someone coming from overseas with a possible uphill battle.”
The tireless work and constant preparation for the season was something Cardenas and Simmons bonded over. It started as a relationship built on respect, but it formed into an everlasting friendship and brotherhood.
“He’s one the best friends you can have. I can close my eyes and count on one hand how many people would show up for me if I absolutely need them, and Alvaro is one of those guys.”
Despite limited team success in two of his three years as a Spartan, Cardenas started all 66 games as a sophomore and junior. Individual accolades and numbers are great, but for Cardenas, there was so much more he wanted to achieve.
The Decision
With Cardenas’ competitive fire and intense desire to win, underachievement was not an option. Intent on maximizing his senior season, Cardenas knew he had a tough decision to make—finish out his time at San Jose State, or hit the transfer portal.
Tasked with making one of the toughest decisions of his young life, the answer became abundantly clear. With winning as the No. 1 priority, Cardenas knew the Spartans were unable to seriously compete with the best in the Mountain West.
“We just didn’t have enough. It was really tough, but ultimately, in two of the three years, we didn’t have enough. It was challenging, but I learned so much and I’m super grateful for the time I had there.”
In Cardenas’ freshman (2021-22) and junior (2023-24) campaigns, San Jose State combined to win just 27 percent (17-46 record) of its games. The Spartans went 21-14 in his sophomore season, but were not as successful the following year.
Fueled by winning and a chance to potentially make the NCAA Tournament before the expiration of his collegiate career, Cardenas officially entered the transfer portal. As someone who wasn’t highly recruited coming from Spain to the United States, Cardenas had more than 50 schools jockeying and positioning for his services once he made the decision to move on.
“It shows the work ethic and progress I made at San Jose State. It shows my character and the type of player I am for multiple teams to be interested.” Enter Boise State.
From Silicon Valley to the Treasure Valley
Flattered by an abundance of interest and respect, Cardenas quickly numbered down the teams he was interested in. Unwilling to take a step back in competition and conference, Cardenas’ sole goal was to transfer to a competitive program.
Having made the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive years, Boise State fit the description for what Cardenas wanted.
So, how did he land in the Blue and Orange? An immediate phone call and an immediate trip from Boise to San Jose was all it took.
Cardenas hit the portal the day before the Broncos played their 2024 First Four NCAA Tournament game in Dayton, Ohio. Suffering a third-consecutive, one-and-done loss, Boise State’s coaching staff, led by head coach Leon Rice, quickly identified Cardenas as a player they wanted to pursue.
“We didn’t necessarily know if he was going to officially go in the portal, but if he did, we would unequivocally want to pursue him,” said Boise State assistant coach Mike Burns. “As soon as he went in, we reached out immediately.”
The familiarity and deep knowledge between the Broncos and Cardenas can’t be overstated. Going head-to-head five times over a three-year span aided Boise State in the process.
“Preparing to play against Al for three seasons really allowed us to pick apart his game, and we found very few, if any, weaknesses,” Broncos assistant coach Lexus Williams recalled. “We were familiar with his game, and he was familiar with our program and the success we’ve had the last three years. That’s something he wanted to be part of.”
Fresh off a 60-53 loss to Colorado at UD Arena, the Broncos’ team charter landed back in Boise at roughly 9:30 p.m. MT on Wednesday, March 20. Making quick travel arrangements, Burns was on a flight to San Jose the very next morning to meet and recruit Cardenas.
Upon landing in San Jose, the two met for the lunch, and Burns’ objective was to sell Cardenas on Boise State, the men’s basketball program and what the opportunity could offer. While they dined, ironically enough, another institution who was recruiting Cardenas happened to show up to the same restaurant.
“He knew how badly we wanted him to be part of this program,” said Burns. “He had things he was looking for and felt we could fulfill those. We had things we were looking for, so it’s been a win-win for both sides.”
Ultimately, Cardenas chose the Broncos, and the fit has been seamless.
Bleeding Blue
Leaving San Jose State as a two-time team captain, Cardenas joined the Broncos and instantly became a leader. He’s one-of-three appointed team captains, joining Tyson Degenhart and O’Mar Stanley.
“I take a lot of pride in leading by example. If I’m not playing my hardest every single day, I can’t expect someone else to do the same.”
The love Cardenas has for his teammates¾along with his passion, vibrant and charismatic personality and veteran leadership¾has allowed him to seamlessly ingratiate himself. He’s fit in perfectly, and the bond he’s built is second-to-none.
“Off the court, he’s brought comradery,” Degenhart explained with a smile on his face. “He’s all about building this team and team chemistry on and off the court.”
Aside from the bond he’s helped build off the court, Cardenas has elevated the team’s point guard play on the hardwood. It’s been noted that his “true point guard” skillset differs from previous Broncos who’ve played the position in the past.
“I think I’m different in that way. I really enjoy passing the ball, getting my teammates open and being a floor general.”
So, what does it take to not only play in Boise State’s offense, but lead the operation?
“You have to have high IQ and feel for the game and understand how to take advantage of the opportunities,” Williams explained. “With his playmaking skills and passing ability, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenses and his offensive skillset at all three levels makes him very hard to gameplan for and stop.”
His unselfishness, pass-first mindset and ability to create plays makes him the perfect fit for the 2024-25 Broncos.
The Record
The full-court press the Broncos employed to acquire Cardenas’ services has paid immediate dividends. He is one of the best point guards in men’s college basketball, ranking in the top 10 in every meaningful assist statistic.
Joining Degenhart as the only Broncos to start every game this season, Cardenas is averaging 11.8 points and 6.8 assists while playing 34.4 minutes per game. He’s currently eighth in assists (177) and assists per game (6.8) in college basketball.
“That kid is a heck of player,” Rice said during his postgame media availability following the team’s 79-52 win over San Jose State on Feb. 7. “His assists should count for one-and-a-half. He throws it, you catch, and it’s a lay in.”
Cardenas’ assist numbers this season are gaudy and eyepopping to say the least. With five games to play, Cardenas has already broken Boise State’s single-season assist record which had been in place for nearly 15 years (La’Shard Anderson, 165, 2010-11).
“I’m really grateful for the coaches and my teammates for trusting me and putting me in that situation. I want to give them credit because they’ve allowed me to be myself and play free which is all I’ve ever asked for.”
Now that the single-season record is firmly behind him, Cardenas has his sights set on yet another milestone. He is one pace to become just the ninth player in Mountain West history to reach 200 assists in a single campaign.
In addition to being the Broncos’ single-season assist record holder and being on pace for 200 helpers, Cardenas has over 500 career assists (539) and currently ranks sixth on the Mountain West’s all-time leaderboard. When asked which of those achievements mean the most to him, Cardenas offered a very simple answer.
“If I’m being honest with you, I really don’t care. We have five games left, and all I want to do is win. If I have zero assists the rest of the way, I’ll be happy as long as we win.”
With winning and earning an NCAA Tournament berth as the main objective, the Broncos have their work cut out for them. The easy solution is to win the Mountain West Tournament that takes place next month.
Who better to lead the team in that quest than Cardenas, who is arguably the best pure point guard in Boise State history, despite being in uniform for only one season? Sure, it’s debatable, but as the basketball world has quickly found out, when it comes to having a strong desire to win, never count out Alvaro Cardenas.