Boise State’s Alston felt time was right to test NBA waters, even as murky as they are.
Boise State basketball player Derrick Alston, Jr. said Friday afternoon that he was “pretty neutral” on his decision to remain in the NBA Draft or return to school for his senior season.
He has submitted paperwork to the Undergraduate Advisory Committee, which evaluates a player’s draft stock. He also plans to hire an NBPA-certified agent, which will allow him to retain his NCAA eligibility as long as he withdraws his name from the draft by June 3.
Even though the spread of coronavirus has left more questions than answers swirling around the pre-draft process, Alston said it just felt right to officially declare for the draft on Monday.
“It was a very nostalgic moment,” Alston said Friday on a video conference with reporters. “With the crazy world we live in, the process is going to be altered in some fashion, but I’m just excited to go along with whatever process is going to happen and make the right decision.”
The NBA suspended its season on March 11. Finishing it could mean playing the finals in June or later and could lead to a postponement to the draft, which is scheduled for June 25. The combine (May 21-24) and individual workouts are in danger of not happening at all, which Alston said is why it’s so important for him to hire an agent.
“Gathering feedback from teams is going to be the big thing,” said Alston, who is scheduled to graduate in December. “It’s my career. It’s my future, and I just want to make the best decision for myself.”
The Broncos have some recent experience with players testing the NBA waters. James Webb III was named Mountain West Newcomer of the Year in 2015, but decided not to return to Boise State after the 2016 season and went undrafted. He currently plays for the Iowa Wolves in the NBA’s G League.
In 2017, leading scorer Chandler Hutchison declared for the draft but opted to return for his senior season. In 2018, he was drafted No. 22 overall by the Chicago Bulls.
“I just want to take that same avenue and gather as much information as I can,” Alston said.
Not being able to frequent a gym has been tough for Alston, but he said he’s lifting weights and doing band work to stay in shape while at home in Houston.
Luckily, he doesn’t have to go very far to get a little coaching. Alston’s father, Derrick, was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1994 and is currently the head coach of the Westchester Knicks in the G League. The topic of how different life in the NBA is compared to college comes up on a regular basis.
“You’ve got 450 of the best players in the world, and you’re trying to not only enter into that family but stay in the league as long as you can,” Alston, Jr. said.
This season, Alston became the 31st player in Boise State history to eclipse 1,000 career points. He led the team with 17.3 points a night and 98 assists and was second with 5.2 rebounds a game as the Broncos went 20-12 and were projected to earn a berth in the NIT, which was also canceled on March 11.
“It was definitely hard coming to that realization,” Alston said. “Coming from last year, I think we definitely turned the program around, and I’m really grateful for all the guys buying into their roles. In the full landscape of things, we had a great season.”
This story was originally published April 4, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
