On February third, 2012, it was introduced that Rafer Alston, additionally recognized by his legendary playground basketball nickname, Skip To My Lou, would return to the skilled basketball scene. The NBA Growth League group L.A. D-Fenders, determined so as to add him to their roster. A former playground basketball legend who helped And1 launch a “streetball” empire that outlined a technology, Rafer’s story begins in Queens, NY with stops in Las Vegas, the NBA, China and every other metropolis, city or driveway with a basketball web.
Few basketball gamers right now can rival the unbelievable rise to stardom as that of Rafer Alston. Having his skills first lined within the eighth grade earlier than beginning his epic profession at Cardozo Excessive Faculty in Queens, NY, Rafer was quickly seen on the famed courts of Rucker Park, breaking ankles and embarrassing guys twice his age and double his measurement. He was quickly given the nickname “Skip To My Lou” in honor of his patented skip-like dance he would do as he would dribble the ball up the court docket. Crowds of all ages would go wild as they hung from tree limbs, perched on rooftops and fought the elbowing crowds simply to get a glimpse of the thin child with the sleep eyes enjoying basketball.
Rafer tried the school basketball scene however was not very profitable, after a yr lengthy stint at Venura School, Fresno Metropolis School after which Fresno State. Skip To My Lou was not the identical when going through school competitors off the asphalt and shortly made his means again to the east coast to comply with his goals to the NBA by different means. Rafer would quickly be supplied a stage on the worldwide scene of streetball, as promoted by the trash-talking, in-your-face basketball attire model, And1. Rafer helped pioneer the And1 Mixtapes, a 6-part collection which quickly led to the And1 Mixtape Tour, an entertaining, action-packed showcase of the elite of streetball skills, antics and swagger.
Rapidly changing into a world icon, Rafer was first given the shot to carry out within the NBA by the Milwaukee Bucks. By no means given an actual shot by the hard-headed coach George Karl, Rafer would start his NBA profession bouncing round from group to group, like many different journeymen veterans. Rafer had quick stints in Toronto and Miami earlier than settling into his first actual alternative to carry out with the Houston Rockets. An efficient level guard who began a handful of video games and performed effectively subsequent to Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, Rafer would show himself, as a strong chief. He would bounce round from Houston to Orlando to New Jersey and finally again to Miami the place he was launched after lacking a follow and a sport.
Rafer tried his hand within the worldwide scene in China however now returns to the NBA searching for a shot to make a come again as a 35-year-old veteran, nonetheless discovering solace and staying out of bother on the hardwood or ashphalt flooring of basketball.
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