Inspired by the NBA: Alcaraz meets Paul and Curry, tries to emulate Gasol and Butler

Carlos Alcaraz

Having spent a large part of his time in Miami at an NFL stadium and exploring an area that forms part of the city’s Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit, it is perhaps a little ironic that, after tennis, the sport mainly occupying the thoughts of Carlos Alcaraz is basketball.

Maybe the Michael Jordan t-shirt he wore on day one when he addressed the media at Hard Rock Stadium, the venue of the Miami Open presented by Itau, was a sign of things to come. The Spaniard would go on to spend time with Jimmy Butler and enjoy a front-row seat at Tuesday’s game that saw the Miami Heat host the Golden State Warriors.

Such is Alcaraz’s passion for basketball that on Tuesday he went to extraordinary lengths to attend the match, even when it seemed like an impossibility. When the No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings sealed his victory against Lorenzo Musetti, Heat vs. Warriors was already underway. The Spaniard still had to sign autographs, give on-court interviews, give a press conference, go through his post-match routines, and travel 14 miles to the Kaseya Centre.

Alcaraz continued to compete with one eye on the clock, refusing to give up the hope of making it in time. Basketball has always had a special place in the heart of the 13-time tour-level champion. That is why, of all the celebrity encounters he has been lucky enough to enjoy, the two that have excited him the most have been basketball players.

“I’m lucky to have met some great athletes, and also big celebrities, which in a way continues to really surprise me. It’s still hard to believe I’m one of those celebrities. But I met Pau Gasol recently, someone who I’d really wanted to meet,” Alcaraz explained of Spain’s greatest ever basketball player.

“I met him in Las Vegas. He’s really an incredible guy. Jimmy Butler too,” continued the 20-year-old right-hander. “Those two have been the most special celebrity encounters I’ve had.”

Butler was at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday to watch Alcaraz play, just as he was in 2023. On Tuesday evening, however, it was Alcaraz’s turn to watch his idol play for Heat. Shortly after 9 p.m., the Murcia native found his seat in the stadium to support the American forward, from whom he says he learns something every time they cross paths.

“I admire both him and Pau Gasol because of that winning mentality, their professionalism, because they want to improve every day and look at the finest of details to become a better athlete,” said Alcaraz. “But above all I admire that they are great people off the court. That’s really very, very important to me, as is having a winning mentality. It’s something to be admired and it’s something I try to learn from them.”

If his goal was to learn from NBA legends, Alcaraz must have felt like he’d ended his day with even more inspiration than he’d bargained for; after the match he met Chris Paul and Stephen Curry. Fans will look to see if he can put any new learnings into practice on Thursday when he crosses paths with Grigor Dimitrov in the Miami quarter-finals.

Editor’s note: This story has been translated from ATPTour.com/es