Derrick Alston

For his son and current basketball player, see Derrick Alston Jr.

Derrick Samuel Alston Sr. (born August 20, 1972) is an American basketball coach and former player who serves as an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League. In February 2023, Alston became the second head coach of the Montreal Alliance of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He previously coached primarily in the NBA G League, including as the head coach of the Westchester Knicks.^[1]

Derrick Alston

Alston in 2014
Wisconsin Herd
Position	Assistant coach
League	NBA G League
Personal information
Born	(1972-08-20) August 20, 1972 (age 52) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school	Hoboken (Hoboken, New Jersey)
College	Duquesne (1990–1994)
NBA draft	1994: 2nd round, 33rd overall pick
Drafted by	Philadelphia 76ers
Playing career	1994–2012
Position	Power forward / center
Number	21, 45
Coaching career	2012–present
Career history
As a player:
1994–1996	Philadelphia 76ers
1996	Atlanta Hawks
1996–1997	Efes Pilsen
1997–1998	TDK Manresa
1998–2000	FC Barcelona
2000–2002	Pamesa Valencia
2002–2003	Real Madrid
2003–2005	Lleida
2005–2006	BCM Gravelines
2006	Ural Great Perm
2006–2007	Türk Telekom
2007–2008	New Zealand Breakers
2008–2009	Libertad de Sunchales
2009–2010	Boca Juniors
2010	La Unión de Formosa
2011–2012	Boca Juniors
As a coach:
2012–2015	Houston Rockets (assistant)
2015–2019	Westchester Knicks (assistant)
2019–2022	Westchester Knicks
2022–2023	College Park Skyhawks (assistant)
2023–2025	Montreal Alliance
2024	Pioneros de Los Mochis
2024–present	Wisconsin Herd (assistant)
Career highlights
Spanish League champion (1999) Spanish League Finals MVP (1999) First-team All-Atlantic 10 (1994)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Early life

Born in The Bronx, New York, Alston played basketball at Hoboken High School in Hoboken, New Jersey.^[2]

Professional career

Alston, a power forward/center from Duquesne University, started off his professional career when he was selected 33rd overall in the 1994 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers for whom he played two seasons. He then played 2 games for the Atlanta Hawks in late 1996 before taking his game overseas.

Joining the New Zealand Breakers mid-season 2007–08, Alston made an immediate impact. Statwise, he reached the top 20 in the league for FG%, shooting at 56.0%, and offensive rebounds, while averaging 13.8 ppg and being instrumental in helping the Breakers reach the playoffs for the first time in club history.

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

NBA

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1994–95	Philadelphia	64	1	16.1	.465	.000	.492	3.4	0.5	0.6	0.5	4.7
1995–96	Philadelphia	73	41	22.1	.512	.333	.491	4.1	0.8	0.8	0.7	6.2
1996–97	Atlanta	2	0	5.5	.000	.000	.000	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Career		139	42	19.1	.489	.143	.487	3.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	5.4

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1990–91	Duquesne	28	25	28.8	.536	.000	.598	6.3	1.3	0.8	1.9	11.3
1991–92	Duquesne	28	-	32.8	.556	.000	.526	8.0	1.5	1.2	2.1	13.9
1992–93	Duquesne	28	27	34.3	.563	1.000	.574	9.3	1.1	1.4	2.1	19.9
1993–94	Duquesne	30	-	36.0	.578	.000	.601	7.3	1.4	1.6	1.8	21.3
Career		114	52	33.0	.561	.333	.576	7.7	1.3	1.2	2.0	16.7

Coaching career

After retiring, in 2012, Alston joined the staff of the Houston Rockets and served as their Player Development Coach for two seasons 2012–2015.^[3] On October 27, 2015, he was hired by the Westchester Knicks to be an assistant coach.^[4]

In August 2014, Alston traveled to the Philippines as a SportsUnited Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. In this function, he worked with Alison Feaster and Erik Spoelstra to conduct basketball clinics and events for more than 375 youth from underserved areas. In so doing, Alston helped contribute to SportsUnited's mission to advance the status of women and girls around the world and to show support to an important regional partner.^[5]

In August 2019, he was named head coach of the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League.^[6] He held the head coaching position until the end of the 2021–22 season.^[7] On October 25, 2022, Alston was named an assistant coach of the NBA G League's College Park Skyhawks.^[8]

In November 2023, Alston was named head coach of the Pioneros de Los Mochis of the Circuito de Baloncesto de la Costa del Pacífico (CIBACOPA) ahead of the 2024 season.^[9]

On November 1, 2024, Alston became an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Herd.^[10]

Personal life

Alston's son Derrick Alston Jr. was a college basketball player at Boise State,^[11] before embarking on a career in professional basketball.^[12] Alston also has a daughter named Avery.