Rafer Alston

48-Year-Old GuardG
 Free Agent    
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Rafer Alston in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Became an unrestricted free agent in July 2010.
GFree Agent
February 3, 2012
Alston agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the NBA D-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, Scott Schroeder of NBC Sports reports.
ANALYSIS
Alston played in China in 2011, and last appeared in an NBA game with Miami in 2010. At 35 years old, the New York streetball legend is past his prime as a player and likely would be buried on the bench as a backup if signed to an NBA team following this stint in the D-League.
Read More News
Per Game
Total
Per 36
NBA Per Game Stats
Loading Per Game Stats...
NBA Total Stats
Loading Total Stats...
NBA Per 36 Stats
Loading Per 36 Stats...
Schedule
By Month
Starting/Off Bench
Days Rest
Vs Opp
By Result
2024 NBA Per Game Split Stats
Loading Split Stats...
2024 NBA Per Game Split Stats - By Month
Loading Split Stats...
2024 NBA Per Game Split Stats - Starting/Off Bench
Loading Split Stats...
2024 NBA Per Game Split Stats - Days Rest
Loading Split Stats...
2024 NBA Per Game Split Stats - Vs Opp
Loading Split Stats...
2024 NBA Per Game Split Stats - By Result
Loading Split Stats...
Advanced Stats
Loading Advanced Stats...
Total
Per Game
Per 36
NBA Historical Fantasy Stats
How are these ratings calculated?
Our historical fantasy ratings are standard scores calculated using 8-Category settings with 12 teams and 13 players per team.
Loading Historical Fantasy Stats...
NBA Per Game Historical Fantasy Stats
Loading Per Game Historical Fantasy Stats...
NBA Per 36 Historical Fantasy Stats
Loading Per 36 Historical Fantasy Stats...
Historical ADP
Loading Historical ADP...
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
No doubt Alston will now be one top backup PG's in the league, yet it's hard to envision Skip To My Lou being content riding the pine as Devin Harris' backup one season removed from running the show for the Magic in the NBA Finals. Alston has always been a shoot-first point guard (which is mind-boggling considering he's shot over 40 percent only three times in his 11-year career), and his decision-making skills are suspect. He'll provide the Nets with veteran leadership off the bench, but look for his stats to take a major hit across the board this season.
Alston survived a training camp battle to become Houston’s starting point guard and held on to the job all season. He was a nice fit for the Rockets, who don’t need much more from a point guard than to play some defense and take the pressure off Tracy McGrady every now and then. As such, don’t expect a lot of assists from Alston in Houston’s offense. The biggest question throughout his career has been attitude, but there was no hint of that last year. He’s an above-average perimeter defender, so as long as he’s comfortable with coach Rick Adelman, he’ll be the starter. As a full-time starter in the past five seasons, Alston is averaging 1.47 steals per game. He was the Rockets’ third leading scorer and shooter last season, but the addition of Ron Artest should limit Alston’s scoring opportunities. Although Alston stepped up his scoring when Yao Ming went down last season, he isn’t a great jump shooter and the Rockets don’t want to rely on him scoring to be successful.
Alston played a full season at point guard, starting all 82 games and playing over 37 minutes a night for Houston, but still finished behind Tracy McGrady in assists. That’s all you need to know about the point guard job in Houston. Get the ball to McGrady and provide a shooting threat to keep defenses from doubling McGrady and Yao Ming. The Rockets brought in several guards during the offseason, so Alston will have to beat out Steve Francis and Mike James. First-round draft pick Aaron Brooks should not be too much of a factor, if at all, in the rotation. In addition to competition on the court, Alston’s immediate future is somewhat hazy because of allegations of felony assault – his second arrest of the summer. Assuming he’s still with the team, Alston figures to be sharing playing time with James and Francis, which calls the fantasy value of all three players into question.
One wouldn’t think that a streetball legend like “Skip to my Lou” Rafer Alston and a by-the-book coach like Jeff Van Gundy would be able to co-exist peacefully, and initially they did have some growing pains. But as the season progressed, Alston developed a pretty decent rapport with Tracy McGrady and posted solid numbers in scoring and assists while nabbing about a steal and a half per game. With finishers like McGrady and Yao, assists should come in bunches for Alston. He’ll probably butt heads with Van Gundy from time to time, but there really aren’t any other options on the Rockets roster to man the point, so his position is at least reasonably secure.
Welcome to the "problem child" portion of the program. New York City playground legend Rafer “Skip to my Lou” Alston parlayed his 2003-04 season averages (10.2 points, 4.5 boards, 2 treys per game on 37% shooting from beyond the arc) into a fat contract and starting role in Toronto. The news from north of the border wasn't nearly as good, as Alston repeatedly clashed with management. Lost in all the drama, though, were season totals that bettered his coming-out in Miami by a fair piece. Alston upped his scoring to 14.2 ppg, dropped 6.4 dimes per game, improved his shooting from the floor to 41% and still managed to hit 1.7 threes per game while shooting 35% from deep. In October, Alston was dealt to the Rockets where he'll likely start at the point, though Bob Sura could cut into his time once he comes back from a knee injury.
Schoolyard legend Alston finally started to figure out the NBA game last year. Thrust into a starting role with Miami, he responded with 10.2 PPG, 4.5 APG, 1.4 SPG and a ton of three-pointers (161, to be exact). Signed to be the Raptors’ point guard, Alston is one of the bigger wild cards in the Eastern Conference. He has as much talent as anyone, but his breakout ’03-’04 could just as easily have been a fluke as a first step towards stardom. We like Alston’s odds to keep improving, however. Draft him for another 10 points and five assists, with lots of threes and some steals, but don’t be surprised if he hits for at least 13.0 PPG and 6.0 APG.
Alston’s situation heading into the season mirrors that of the above-mentioned Coles. Being forced to guess, we’d say that Alston will begin the season behind Coles on the depth chart and deep on the bench watching Riley go through his carousel of point guards before looking Alston’s way. Don’t look for help from “Skip to my Lou” unless there is a major change in plans in Miami.
More Fantasy News
GMiami Heat
Suspension
March 13, 2010
The Heat have upgraded Alston's indefinite suspension to the rest of the season, the Miami Herald reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
GMiami Heat
Suspension
March 10, 2010
Alston (suspension) was not with the Heat for Tuesday night's loss to the Bobcats.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
GMiami Heat
Suspension
March 8, 2010
Alston (suspension) did not take part in Monday's practice, the Associated Press reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
GMiami Heat
Suspension
March 8, 2010
Alston did not show up for the Heat's Family Festival on Sunday and his suspended status has not changed, the Miami Herald reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
GMiami Heat
Suspension
March 7, 2010
Alston was suspended without pay for failing to appear for Miami's game Saturday, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.