Breaking Barriers: Loyola Alumnus Philip Alston Ready to Make NBA Debut with Milwaukee Bucks in Summer League

Philip Alston, a standout forward from Loyola University Chicago, has signed on to play with the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Summer League. Alston, who went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft, had a workout with the Bucks back in May and was impressed by their opportunity to showcase his talents.

Before transferring to Loyola as a junior in 2022, Alston spent two seasons playing at California University of Pennsylvania in Division II. He quickly became a standout player for Loyola, leading the team in points and rebounds during his debut season. In his senior year, despite an early injury setback, Alston continued to be a significant contributor to the team’s success. He averaged 12.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game over the course of 29 games, helping Loyola secure the Atlantic 10 title just a year after finishing last in the conference.

Although Loyola did not receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament, they did participate in the National Invitational Tournament, where they were eliminated in the first round by Bradley. However, this setback only strengthened Alston’s determination to make it to the NBA and prove his worth as one of college basketball’s top talents.

Now he has an opportunity to do just that with the Milwaukee Bucks during the NBA Summer League, starting on July 13th against the Chicago Bulls. If he impresses Coach Mike Budenholzer and his staff with his unique blend of athleticism, physicality, work ethic, defensive skills and team-first mentality that contribute to winning games then he could become not only an important asset for Milwaukee but also make history as he could become first alumnus from Loyola Basketball program since Milton Doyle’s brief stint with Brooklyn Nets in 2017 played on this stage.