LSU lands prized PG recruit Alston, son of ex-NBAer and streetball legend — SkimNews
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- Reese Alston committed to LSU, announcing the decision Thursday and giving coach Will Wade his third top-25 recruit in the 2027 class; Alston chose the Tigers over Louisville after official visits to Kentucky, Tennessee and Wichita State, all of which were on his final list of schools.
- Will Wade built a strong relationship with Alston, who said "On my visit, it just felt like home," praised the loud, packed environment and film of LSU's run on top of the SEC, and added that "The internet makes Coach Wade out to be somebody he's not" — crediting the coach with keeping his word and making him a priority.
- King Gibson, a No. 14 prospect committed earlier this month and one of the class's best perimeter defenders, will join Alston in a five-star LSU backcourt that also includes Ahmad Hudson, the No. 1-ranked tight end prospect in 2027 who led the Nike EYBL circuit in rebounding last spring and summer; LSU's 2027 class was already ranked in the top five nationally before Alston committed.
- Rafer Alston, the NBA veteran and streetball legend nicknamed "Skip to My Lou," is the father of Reese Alston, who is rated among the best point guards in the 2027 class.
- Second Baptist School won its second straight TAPPS 5A state championship with Alston averaging 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals last season, when he also won the Guy V. Lewis Award and was ranked No. 13 in the SC Next 100 and the No. 4 point guard in the country.
- LSU has landed its first five-star recruits since Wade was ousted in 2022, with Gibson and Alston restoring the pipeline Wade built from 2017 to 2021 — five five-star high school signees and 12 SC Next 100 prospects — after he leaned on the transfer portal and international market for his first full roster in his second stint.
Why it matters: LSU's first five-star recruits since Wade's 2022 ousting return a pipeline that produced five five-star signees and 12 SC Next 100 prospects from 2017 to 2021, and a class already in the national top five now holds the No. 4 point guard in the 2027 class.
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