Five-star point guard Reese Alston announced Thursday that he has committed to LSU, giving Tigers coach Will Wade his third top-25 recruit in the 2027 class.
Alston chose the Tigers over Louisville, although he also took official visits to Kentucky, Tennessee and Wichita State, all of which were on his final list of schools.
"On my visit, it just felt like home," Alston told ESPN. "The environment and the culture were amazing. I could feel the friendliness of everyone and their passion for the basketball program. I watched film on my visit from when they were on top of the SEC with Coach Wade, and the place was packed. The environment was loud."
Alston and Wade developed a strong relationship, with the 2027 recruit drawn to his passion and loyalty.
"Off the court, he's a nice guy and very relatable, but during practice, you can see the intensity. My mom was taken aback at first, but she understands," he said. "Coach Wade knows what it takes to win. He's put his full trust in me, and I've put my trust in him. I trusted as a coach and a person.
"The Internet makes Coach Wade out to be somebody he's not. ... He has kept his word and showed up to all the games that he said he would. He's made me a priority."
The son of former NBA veteran and streetball legend Rafer Alston - nicknamed "Skip to My Lou" - Reese Alston is one of the best point guards in the 2027 class. He's ranked No. 13 in the SC Next 100, the No. 4 point guard in the country.
Alston won the Guy V. Lewis Award last season, given annually to the best boys high school basketball player in the greater Houston area. He helped lead Second Baptist School (Texas) to its second straight TAPPS 5A State Championship, averaging 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.7 steals.
When Alston has the ball in his hands, he is difficult for defenders to stay in front of, given his craftiness, playmaking ability and propensity for pinpoint passes. He boasts a strong assist-to-turnover ratio and is a low-turnover, high-level decision-maker overall.
He joins an LSU recruiting class that was already ranked in the top five nationally before his commitment. Alston will form a five-star backcourt alongside King Gibson (No. 14), who committed earlier this month and is one of the best perimeter defenders in the class. Rounding out the top-25 trio is Ahmad Hudson, who led the Nike EYBL circuit in rebounding last spring and summer. Hudson is also the No. 1-ranked tight end prospect in the 2027 class.
Wade leaned into the transfer portal and international market for his first full roster in his second stint in Baton Rouge, but he appears to be returning to the roster construction methods he used during his first go-round in the job. From 2017-21, he landed five five-star high school recruits and 12 SC Next 100 prospects - and now Gibson and Alston are the first five-star recruits at LSU since Wade's ousting in 2022.