Alford hopes to play for father
His father, Steve, was known as a fantastic shooter during his days at Indiana and Kory Alford is following in his father's footsteps, developing a reputation as a lights-out shooter especially from long range.
Alford, a 6-foot-4 guard from Albuquerque (N.M.) La Cueva, showed off those abilities last weekend at the Full court Press Easter Classic in Las Vegas, no surprise since he comes from such good stock. Steve Alford is the coach at New Mexico.
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"My dad was known as a shooter and learning mechanics I learned from him, learning how to shoot and then the same way he learned how to shoot, just shooting all the time, always shooting from when I was like three years old, you just learn," Alford said.
"I was always in the gym, ever since I was born, around practice and all that. It's kind of just been my life."
Bucknell and some other schools have contacted Alford, who averaged about 11 points per game as a junior at La Cueva, but recruiting hasn't picked up much probably because many coaches believe Alford will one day end up playing for his dad - and they could be right.
"It's always been different for me," Alford said. "I've always wanted to play for my dad so if that opportunity comes I'm sure that's what I'll do but I'm always going to keep it open.
"He's always been coaching me, he's always been my coach. Not on the floor but working me out, everything I know I've learned from him and I want to be a coach when I get out of school so learning from him would be the best way.
"He's more of a father. He'll tell me what I did right and wrong. He'll coach me but he'll never pressure me. He never said I have to play basketball or anything like that."
Alford, who plays with the Danny Granger Hurricanes, said he still needs to master his outside shooting - range is not a big deal to him as he showed he can hit from way behind the three-point line last weekend - but defense, footwork and getting to the basket are things he still needs to work on.
He will have time this spring and summer to work on those aspects of his game since recruiting won't be a major focus on the AAU circuit. Unlike many kids who are working for scholarship offers or to get noticed, Alford already has the luxury of knowing where he wants to go and who he wants to play for.
"If I get the chance," Alford said, "I want to play for my dad."