BOISE, Idaho – Boise State men’s basketball student-athlete Derrick Alston, Jr. will withdraw his name from the 2020 NBA Draft and return to the Broncos for his redshirt senior season, Alston announced Wednesday. The 6-foot-9 guard was Boise State’s leader in points and assists last season, and last year became the 31st 1,000-point scorer in program history.
Alston shared his decision on Twitter, including a statement that read:
“I could not be more excited to announce that I am returning to Boise State for my senior season! Over the course of the last several months, my family and I have evaluated the best course of action for me to continue to grow as a person and as a basketball player in order to best position myself to achieve all of my goals and dreams. Based upon the feedback I have received, I know the NBA is a viable option for me for the 2020-21 season and I’m incredibly confident in my ability to compete against the best players in the world. I also know that I have unfinished business at Boise State and still have tremendous room for growth in my game. The opportunity to showcase my growth while working side-by-side with my teammates and coaches every day to improve and to pursue a Mountain West championship is an opportunity and life experience that I cannot pass up! Go Broncos!”
Last season Alston was a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. He was named All-Mountain West Second Team by the coaches and the media after averaging 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, guiding the Broncos to their eighth 20-win season in the last 10 years and a trip to the semifinals at the Mountain West Championship.
Alston has appeared in 76 games for the Blue and Orange and was a member of Boise State’s 2017 and 2018 NIT teams. His return not only brings an NBA-caliber player back into the lineup, but adds continuity to a team full of fresh faces. The rest of this season’s roster enters the year with a combined 88 games played as Broncos. Alston brings the returning letterwinner total to five, while a heralded crop of five Division I transfers will be eligible this season after sitting out last year. A talented class of newcomers is headlined by first-team NJCAA All-American Naje Smith and Serbian U18 and U19 National Team member Pavle Kuzmanovic.
The Broncos will be tested with a high-level schedule, including marquee nonconference events in Orlando (Orlando Invitational) and Alston’s hometown of Houston (The Battleground 2k20 against Texas A&M). The remainder of the nonconference schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
Returning season ticket holders can renew their seats for the 2020-21 campaign now. Anybody who wants to get in on the action this year can call the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office at 208-426-4737, to have their name added to a wait list for new season tickets.
Fans who are interested in joining the Broncos in Orlando can sign up to receive more information about travel packages. Details regarding the game in Houston against Texas A&M will be available later this summer.
The original deadline for student-athletes to remove their name from the NBA Draft and maintain NCAA eligibility was June 3, but due to changes to the Draft schedule caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the deadline was extended to Aug. 3. Alston’s decision comes less than two weeks before the Broncos are set to begin mandatory workouts on July 20, the first day permitted by the NCAA.
Alston shared his decision on Twitter, including a statement that read:
“I could not be more excited to announce that I am returning to Boise State for my senior season! Over the course of the last several months, my family and I have evaluated the best course of action for me to continue to grow as a person and as a basketball player in order to best position myself to achieve all of my goals and dreams. Based upon the feedback I have received, I know the NBA is a viable option for me for the 2020-21 season and I’m incredibly confident in my ability to compete against the best players in the world. I also know that I have unfinished business at Boise State and still have tremendous room for growth in my game. The opportunity to showcase my growth while working side-by-side with my teammates and coaches every day to improve and to pursue a Mountain West championship is an opportunity and life experience that I cannot pass up! Go Broncos!”
Last season Alston was a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. He was named All-Mountain West Second Team by the coaches and the media after averaging 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, guiding the Broncos to their eighth 20-win season in the last 10 years and a trip to the semifinals at the Mountain West Championship.
Alston has appeared in 76 games for the Blue and Orange and was a member of Boise State’s 2017 and 2018 NIT teams. His return not only brings an NBA-caliber player back into the lineup, but adds continuity to a team full of fresh faces. The rest of this season’s roster enters the year with a combined 88 games played as Broncos. Alston brings the returning letterwinner total to five, while a heralded crop of five Division I transfers will be eligible this season after sitting out last year. A talented class of newcomers is headlined by first-team NJCAA All-American Naje Smith and Serbian U18 and U19 National Team member Pavle Kuzmanovic.
The Broncos will be tested with a high-level schedule, including marquee nonconference events in Orlando (Orlando Invitational) and Alston’s hometown of Houston (The Battleground 2k20 against Texas A&M). The remainder of the nonconference schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
Returning season ticket holders can renew their seats for the 2020-21 campaign now. Anybody who wants to get in on the action this year can call the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office at 208-426-4737, to have their name added to a wait list for new season tickets.
Fans who are interested in joining the Broncos in Orlando can sign up to receive more information about travel packages. Details regarding the game in Houston against Texas A&M will be available later this summer.
The original deadline for student-athletes to remove their name from the NBA Draft and maintain NCAA eligibility was June 3, but due to changes to the Draft schedule caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the deadline was extended to Aug. 3. Alston’s decision comes less than two weeks before the Broncos are set to begin mandatory workouts on July 20, the first day permitted by the NCAA.
