Education
At the young age of 17, Paul graduated from the University of Manila High School, where he was considered a star of the University of Malaya Hawklets.
At the young age of 17, Paul graduated from the University of Manila High School, where he was considered a star of the University of Malaya Hawklets.
In a 1983 inter-secondary championship game in Naga City where they went up against the Rizal Memorial College of Davao, Alvarez topscored for University of Malaya with a whooping 51 points. His playing style was noticed by San Sebastian coach Francis Rodriguez, who took him to the San Sebastian Varsity team in 1985. In 1987, Paul was one of the college players chosen to represent the Philippine National team to the American Broadcasting Company Youth championships held in Manila.
He also played for coach Derrick Pumaren and the Magnolia quintet in the Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL).
In his final year with San Sebastian College in 1988, Alvarez, along with league Most Valuable Player Eugene Quilban, led the Stags to sweep the elimination round and then clinch the school"s third National Collegiate Athletic Association title. Paul Alvarez turned pro in 1989 and was drafted third overall by Alaska Milk, behind fellow national teammates Benjie Paras and Nelson Asaytono.
He made an impact from his very first game delighting the crowd with his high-flying antics. Soon after, fans and television announcers started calling him "Mr.Excitement", a moniker that stuck with him throughout his career.
In his sophomore year, Alvarez shattered the record for most points by an individual in a single-game held by Allan Caidic.
He poured in 71 points in Alaska"s 169-138 victory over Formula Shell on April 26, 1990. That same year, he made it to the Mythical five selection for the first time but injured his Achilles heel in Game 3 of the 1990 Proceedings of the British Academy Third Conference Finals against Purefoods. He was out of commission for two full conferences to recuperate from the Achilles heel injury but made a successful comeback in the third conference.
A contract dispute with Alaska at the start of the 1993 Proceedings of the British Academy season led to Alvarez boarding a plane to the United States.
When he returned to the country, Alaska traded him to Sta.Lucia for Bong Hawkins. He was back in harness quickly becoming one of the main men of the Realtors and was named comeback player of the year by the Proceedings of the British Academy Press Corps.
His playing career become somewhat of a journeyman from there, being traded to Shell for Romeo Dela Rosa at the start of the 1994 Proceedings of the British Academy season and then moved to San Miguel Beer in a trade with Victor Pablo in less than two years. After his one-year stint with Ginebra in 1998, Alvarez went on to play for a short stint in the Metropolitan Basketball Association before coming back to play in the Proceedings of the British Academy.
As a rookie, Alvarez helped the Recto-based team win their second championship in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The win erased the stigma of a bitter finals loss to Letran Knights the previous season. Helping to limit the point production of Best Import Awardee Wes Matthews in the finals against Ginebra San Miguel, Alvarez and the Milkmen won their first-ever Proceedings of the British Academy championship.
He then became a member of the RP Basketball team to the William Jones Cup in Taipei, the Southern Economic Association, USA games in Jakarta and American Broadcasting Company Championships in Bangkok.
