3/30/2020 basketball Edit

Alston to Enter 2020 NBA Draft

BroncoSports.com

BOISE, Idaho – Boise State redshirt junior guard Derrick Alston, Jr. will enter his name into the 2020 NBA Draft, while maintaining his NCAA eligibility and keeping open the option to return to Boise State for his senior season.

Boise State redshirt Junior, Derrick Alston. (Stanley Brewster / Blue-Turf.com)

“I am grateful for the opportunity to chase my dream, while retaining my NCAA eligibility and leaving the door open to return to Boise State,” Alston said. “This is the next step in my development. I am excited to give it everything I have and grow from it, not only as a basketball player but as a person as well.”

Boise State's Derrick Alston drives the lane against UNLV in ExtraMile Arena. (Stanley Brewster / Blue-Turf.com)

Alston will receive an evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee, composed of NBA team executives. The evaluation includes a confidential projection of each early-entrant’s likely draft position. He can be invited to participate in workouts and tryouts for NBA teams, as well as the NBA Draft Combine and G League Elite Camp.

Under new NCAA legislation, student-athletes are also permitted to sign with and accept actual and necessary expenses from an NCAA-certified agent to aid in the pre-draft process without jeopardizing their NCAA eligibility. If they choose to return to school, the relationship with the agent must end upon enrolling for the upcoming academic term.

“Derrick is going to explore his options and make an educated decision,” said Boise State head coach Leon Rice. “Being in this position is a testament to how hard he has worked and the commitment to his development.”

Derrick Alston pulls up for a shot against BYU in ExtrasMile Arena. (Stanley Brewster / Blue-Turf.com)

Alston poured in 554 points this season, the 11th-most in program history, to lead the Broncos in scoring (17.3 points per game). He also led the team with 98 assists (3.1 apg) and ranked second in rebounding with 167 (5.2 rpg). Alston scored in double figures in 27 of the team's 32 games, including 13 games with at least 20 points.

He became the 31st Bronco in program history to surpass 1,000 career points, doing so in the final game of the season. Alston scored 441 points (13.4 ppg) as a redshirt sophomore in 2018-19, after redshirting his first year on campus and playing just 26 minutes the following season.

“I want to thank every coach, teammate, fan and supporter who has been alongside me on this journey so far,” Alston said. “I would not be where I am today without each and every one of them.”

Student-athletes who wish to remove their names from the NBA Draft and maintain NCAA eligibility must submit a letter to the NBA by the end of the day June 3.