BVNW product Alston Mason closing collegiate career in familiar Big 12 territory
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Standing on the Big 12 basketball court at Big 12 Media Days, Alston Mason felt a sense of belonging.
Mason, who grew up in the Kansas City metro area, played high school basketball at Olathe West and Blue Valley Northwest, leading the Huskies to a 25-2 record as a junior and a 23-4 record as a senior in 2020-21.
While the Big 12 represents uncertain ground for Arizona State, it’s not for Mason, a local product who also began his collegiate career in the league. As a three-star recruit out of BVNW, Mason chose to start his college journey at Oklahoma. There, he made his first circuit through the best basketball conference in America averaging just 6.2 minutes per game for Sooners head coach Porter Moser.
“It was definitely a learning experience. You learn a lot going through college just as a student,” Mason said of his time at Oklahoma. “Then you add on basketball, you grow. I think a lot of it early on was growing pains that I had to learn.”
Frustration as a Sooner led Mason to another transfer just a state away from his family’s Kansas home.
“I was upset about my situation and I learned that I just have to keep getting better and keep developing as a player and a person,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing I learned coming into this next transfer.”
For two seasons, Mason played for Missouri State. In 2023-24, he was an All-Missouri Valley Conference selection after averaging 17.5 points and 3.6 assists per game for the Bears.
“He’s just very steady,” said Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley. “Very poised. Very composed. He doesn’t get rattled and he’s very even-keeled which is great to have in a point guard. The point guard is going to mirror the identity of the team to a degree -- but he’s also just confident in who he is as a player and very good at getting to his spots.”
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Mason’s father, Alton Mason, played for the Sun Devils for 90 games from 1998-2001 and averaged 13.4 points per game as a senior. That makes Alston’s return to the Big 12 a family reunion in Tempe, Arizona.
“His dad played at Arizona State, which I like,” Hurley said. “Putting that Arizona State jersey is going to mean something to him this year.”
“It means a lot,” Mason said of becoming a Sun Devil. “Growing up I went to a camp as a kid and it always stuck out to me, seeing those colors and being around ASU. Being able to put on a number 1 and leave my stamp on it means a lot. I’m trying to do the best I can to leave a legacy.”
Despite joining the Sun Devils and Alston’s father’s connections to ASU, his roots in Kansas have him looking forward to the chance to take down the Jayhawks, which Hurley’s Sun Devils have done in each of their previous two non-conference matchups.
“Being able to go to high school here and see some of these (places) like Allen Fieldhouse, it’s exciting to be able to play and be able to put on a show for those people,” Mason said. “When I was at OU, everyone was saying KU was the team to beat -- and it’s so hard to win against Bill Self so hopefully once we match up against them that’ll be a good game.”
By putting on the maroon and gold, Mason will get several trips back to the Midwest, allowing friends and family to attend games. The Sun Devils play games on the road at Kansas on Jan. 8, at Oklahoma State on Feb. 9 and at Kansas State on Feb. 23 during Big 12 play.
In March, Mason will return to the T-Mobile Center for the Big 12 Tournament.
“I’m familiar with this arena,” he said. “It’s good to see familiar faces and a familiar environment.”
Mason, Hurley and the Sun Devils open the season on Tuesday, Nov. 5 against Idaho State.
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