Illinois Basketball Offers the Son of NBA Veteran and Streetball Legend

The elder Alston played 11 years in the NBA, often as a starter, averaging 10.1 points and 4.8 assists over his career.

Although any NBA career speaks to the highest level of achievement, Alston also cemented his legacy outside the league. Better known as “Skip 2 My Lou," Alston is widely considered one of the greatest streetball players of all time. Playing a pivotal role on the And-1 scene, Alston helped popularize modern streetball, and is one of the few players in the 21st century to translate his skills from the blacktop to the league.

Meanwhile, Rafer's son Reese has incorporated a lot of his father’s game into his own. A shifty, crafty driver, Reese has every dribble move in his bag and can get downhill at will. Also a solid long-distance shooter, Reese – again, similar to his dad – is a pure all-around scorer.

Ranked as the 39th overall prospect in the Class of 2027 (according to 247 Sports) and the No. 8 point guard in the country, Alston is garnering interest from top programs, including Houston, Texas Tech and Texas A&M, among others.

Although the Illini will have their hands full duking it out with well-respected programs for Alston’s talents, it’s an encouraging sign that Illinois has put its name in the mix so early in his recruitment.

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