The Illini on Saturday offered Reese Alston, a top-50 Class of 2027 prospect and the son of Rafer “Skip” Alston
Coach Brad Underwood and his Illinois staff recently extended an offer to another guard prospect, this time the son of a basketball icon, as they continue to be active in the high school recruiting process.
Class of 2027 recruit Reese Alston – the son of Rafer “Skip” Alston – announced he had received an offer from the Illini via his X account on Saturday.
A 6-foot-2 point guard from Houston, Alston attends Second Baptist School and also suits up for Cooz Elite on the AAU circuit.
The elder Alston played 11 years in the NBA, often as a starter, averaging 10.1 points and 4.8 assists over his career.
Even though an NBA career is the pinnacle of success, Alston also solidified his reputation outside of the league. Alston, better known by his stage name “Skip 2 My Lou,” is regarded as one of the best streetball players of all time. Alston is one of the few players in the twenty-first century to transfer his skills from the tarmac to the league, and he played a significant part in popularising modern streetball on the And-1 scene.
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.
Top programs, including Houston, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M, are showing interest in Alston, who is ranked as the eighth point guard in the nation and the 39th overall talent in the Class of 2027 by 247 Sports.
The fact that Illinois has entered its name so early in Alston’s recruiting is encouraging, even though the Illini will have their hands full competing other reputable programs for his skills.