Rafer Alston
A New York City streetball legend known as 'Skip to My Lou' who translated playground flair into a solid decade-long NBA career.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American basketball player·Birthday: July 24·Generation X
Biography
Rafer Alston's story is a basketball fairytale rooted in the asphalt of Queens. Long before the NBA, he was a mythic figure on the AND1 Mixtape Tour, dazzling crowds with impossible handles and creative passes under the nickname 'Skip to My Lou,' taken from a playground chant. This streetball fame was a double-edged sword, branding him as a showman rather than a complete player. He proved his detractors wrong through sheer persistence, grinding through junior college and Fresno State before finally entering the NBA at age 22. Alston carved out a reputation as a tough, pass-first point guard who could provide a spark of that old playground magic when needed. His career pinnacle came as the starting point guard for the 2009 Orlando Magic, whom he helped guide to the NBA Finals. For a generation of fans, Alston remains the ultimate bridge between the raw creativity of streetball and the disciplined demands of the professional game.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Rafer was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rafer Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Rafer's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Started at point guard for the Orlando Magic during their 2009 run to the NBA Finals.
- Averaged a career-high 13.3 points and 5.4 assists per game during the 2007-08 season with the Houston Rockets.
- Played 11 seasons in the NBA for six different teams, appearing in over 700 regular season games.
- Was a foundational figure in the early AND1 Mixtape phenomenon, bringing streetball to a national audience.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'Skip to My Lou,' originated from a playground move and was popularized by the AND1 mixtapes.
He played college basketball at Fresno State alongside future NBA player Melvin Ely.
He led the NBA in total steals during the 2002-03 season while playing for the Miami Heat.
After his NBA career, he played professionally in China for the Zhejiang Lions.
“You can't be scared to make the play. The street teaches you that.”
