Rafer Alston aka Skip to My Lou talks about Stan as a coach

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The following summer, Alston signed a lucrative six-year deal with the Raptors. He lasted 11 seasons in the NBA. He said the habits he developed under Van Gundy greatly contributed to his staying power.

“I was someone who people didn’t think could play that long in the league,” Alston said. “I got 11 years out of it. I owe a lot to that year, to Stan.”

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Alston has a unique perspective: He played for Van Gundy twice, first with the Heat and later with the Magic.

“For me, the thing that carried my career long after I played for him was understanding being held accountable and responsible to your team,” Alston said. "Understanding that every day from a game plan standpoint, you make mistakes out there, you’re putting your team in an uncomfortable situation if you’re screwing it up.”

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Molding a team that is flush with players 25 and younger will be one of Van Gundy's biggest challenges. The Pelicans finished last season 21st in defensive rating.

“He’s going to tell you the truth at all times,” Alston said. “He expects the same in return. That’s the bond that develops.”

Alston has not been able to forget the lessons he learned under Van Gundy in Miami, a point in time when his career was at a crossroads. What he absorbed helped him last more than a decade in the NBA.

“I haven't played in the league in 10, 11 years now,” Alston said. “I can still hear Stan when I work with the youth kids. I still take a lot of stuff from Stan and incorporate it with the youth kids.”

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