NBL27 Meet the Coaches | Wildcats Assistant Derrick Alston Sr.

The Red Army has a new face to get to know on the Wildcats bench this season, with Assistant Coach Derrick Alston Sr. arriving in Perth with a basketball career spanning the NBA, G League and several international stops.

Derrick Alston Sr. gives John Rillie’s staff another perspective as the season begins. His approach to working with players comes from what he valued when he was in their position.

Alston enters his 15th year in coaching, having started as an intern with the Houston Rockets before moving into player development.

After three years with Houston, he joined the Westchester Knicks as an assistant and was later promoted to head coach. Further G League roles within the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks organisations followed, along with coaching opportunities in Montreal and Mexico.

Those experiences encouraged him to continue working internationally, with an existing relationship with Rillie helping bring him to Perth.

“Coaching is a lot of relationships,” Alston said.

“When he approached me about the opportunity, I thought it would be a great opportunity. I do want to keep exploring some international coaching opportunities.”

Alston’s playing career remains central to how he communicates with players.

Having experienced the demands of high-level basketball, he understands the importance of knowing where you stand and receiving feedback that helps you move forward.

“I just always feel like my journey helps players, because I treat them the way I would want to be treated when I was going through my playing days,” he said.

“Being honest, straightforward, not trying to sugarcoat things, because I just think that’s the best way to get your point across.

“Nine out of 10 players love it that way, accept it that way, and that helps them get better.”

Alston will focus primarily on defence, bringing a fresh perspective to the established coaching group through his extensive experience.

“Just trying to give them another set of eyes, somebody new that’s kind of outside the group, that might not see things exactly the way they have seen it,” he said.

“They’ve been so close to taking that step to the championship. We felt that my presence could help that.”

He also sees value in giving Rillie different perspectives to draw on, with the staff united behind the decisions made as a group.

“We’re all here to help each other, but at the end of the day, we’re here to help him and to help the team,” Alston said.

The pre-season trip to Japan provided time for the coaches to build relationships outside their formal responsibilities.

“We’re always bouncing ideas off each other. It’s a good group of guys. We like to be around each other, which is key,” he said.

“We just came off this trip in Japan, and we were together every day, just talking basketball and just talking life.

“Our relationship off the court really helps us in those challenging moments.”

The familiarity matters because coaches experience pressure alongside the players. Knowing and trusting one another helps the group remain connected when decisions need to be made.

Alston has enjoyed the balance within the playing group through pre-season. Marley Sam’s youthful energy and humour have made an impression, while the veterans bring experience the team can draw on throughout the schedule.

Brandon Knight’s addition will provide another player familiar with the demands of a long professional career.

“The playing group has been great. It’s a great mix of veteran and young guys,” Alston said.

“And then with Brandon coming in, another vet with a lot of experience.”

He sees that experience becoming particularly valuable when the team needs to settle during a difficult game or stretch of results, with younger players providing energy through the daily work.

Basketball remains a large part of Alston’s life beyond the Wildcats.

His daughter is in college and his son plays professionally in Italy. Watching his son’s games gives him another opportunity to offer support and advice.

“If I’m not watching film for our team, I’m watching his games, because I want to be able to help him, as being his dad and as being a coach,” he said.

When he does step away from basketball, he has been making the most of his new surroundings.

“I like going to the beach. I like hearing the ocean,” Alston said.

“Just getting outside, really enjoying the city, enjoying the community, which I’ve been enjoying up to this point.”

Although new to the Wildcats, Alston is returning to a competition he previously experienced as a player with the New Zealand Breakers.

“It’s nice to come back just to see how the league has grown, the competition and just the level of the players,” he said.

“There were some good players back then, but just seeing some of these guys that they have now in the league, and the imports that are coming, the league has grown.

“It’s really nice just to see where it was at and where it’s at at the moment.”

Alston received an early introduction to the Red Army’s commitment when he saw Wildcats supporters in Bendigo during pre-season.

Their presence away from Perth reinforced the importance of producing a team people are proud to follow.

“Our commitment is to this team, to the organisation, to the owner and especially to the fans,” he said.

“We want to put a great product on the court that makes them proud, that gives them something to cheer for.

“We need their support. We need their energy at these home games, on the road.”

“The players, of course, are key figures, but the fans are what we play for.”