When you think about Alabama athletics, basketball might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But for Houston Mallette, wearing the crimson and white is nothing short of a dream come true.
“I think it’s really an honor. It’s a privilege to be a part of this university, to be a student-athlete here, and to be a part of the men’s basketball team. It’s really a blessing, honestly. I never thought, growing up… I would watch them on TV, their football team. So you see all the stories of Nick Saban and all the Alabama greats. And you’re like, man, that would be a dream to go play,” Mallette told Scoop B Radio.
The Journey from Penn State to Pepperdine to Bama
Mallette’s road to Tuscaloosa wasn’t exactly a straight shot. Originally committed to Penn State, his plans took a sharp turn when then-head coach Pat Chambers resigned in the wake of an internal conflict with a player.
“So out of high school, I was committed to Penn State. Going into my senior year, everything that happened with COVID and the Black Lives Matter movement, my head or the head coach at Penn State, Pat Chambers, resigned from the university… That was about two weeks before signing day, before I was about to sign with Penn State. So when that happened, I was distraught.”
Mallette recalibrated, reaching out to Coach Lorenzo Romar, the then-head coach of Pepperdine University.
“So anyways, I believe that day that I found out he was resigning, I called Coach Lorenzo Romar… He was like, ‘Hey man, like, I really appreciate your call. Let’s talk, definitely. Let me call you after this practice.’ And so that’s kind of how I got to Pepperdine.”
At Pepperdine, Mallette thrived, but a coaching change once again forced him to evaluate his future.
“Coach Romar tells us that the university is gonna part ways with him. And that was something that was very tough for me. And I love Coach Romar. It was a really hard situation. And so the next day, to kind of show that I had his back, I decided I was gonna hit the portal with a week still left in the season. And then Coach Preston Murphy, who was a coach here at the University of Alabama, was one of the first calls I got.”
A Bay Area Kid Inspired by Warriors’ Rise
Growing up in Alameda, California, Mallette had a front-row seat to the Golden State Warriors’ evolution from struggling franchise to dynasty.
“I remember, man, it was a crazy time period because when I was really young, the Warriors weren’t very good… We had Monta Ellis, who is one of the most flashy NBA players ever… and we had Steph Curry, and Steph Curry in the Bay, kind of when we were growing up, he struggled with a lot of ankle injuries. And so I remember the day me and my dad were driving, and it came on the radio that the Warriors were trading Monta Ellis… And then Steph Curry came alive, and man, the Bay was special.”
A Nod to Jason Kidd and Bay Area Basketball History
Mallette had options when it came to high school. He was well aware of the legends before him, including Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, who played at St. Joseph Notre Dame.
“I know Jason Kidd was a phenom. Jason Kidd was incredibly talented. I mean, he was like a 6’4″, 6’5″ guard who was super strong and could really pass… There were like two main high schools I was gonna go to—Saint Joe’s, where Jason Kidd went, and then Salesian, which was in Richmond, California. And it was hard, so I ended up choosing Salesian.”
First NBA Players to Inspire Him
For a young guard finding his way, Mallette looked up to some notable names in basketball.
“I would go, Ivan Rabb was probably one. Because he was from Oakland, he went to Bishop O’Dowd, a big-time school in Oakland. And he stayed at home at Cal. So, Ivan was really cool. And then I put, like, basically, one B was Jaylen Brown. When Jaylen Brown came, he was an incredible mentor.”
Adjusting to Alabama Basketball and Big-Time College Hoops
The transition from Pepperdine to Alabama has been an eye-opener for Mallette.
“Alabama’s season this year has been a whirlwind. It’s been a lot of fun. I mean, we played the number one schedule in the country. A lot of people don’t realize this, but coming to a place from Pepperdine, like, we didn’t have a lot of fans… But being here at Alabama has been such a blessing and a privilege and an honor. I always think back to when I was a little kid and I wrote all my goals down. And one of my goals was to play Division I basketball and to play at Duke. And so I never played at Duke, but I had to play my first college game here at Alabama at the University of North Carolina, which was crazy.”
His Favorite Shooters
Mallette is a marksman, and like all great shooters, he has idols.
“Some of my favorite shooters—well, my favorite basketball player ever is like a 1A, 1B. So my favorite basketball players ever are Larry Bird and Steph Curry. Klay Thompson is also a guy, because Klay Thompson is also from California. And he’s a really cool guy, and has a really interesting story.”
Chasing the Dream – NBA or Overseas?
Mallette is locked in on the next level, but for him, it’s about more than just the NBA.
“Yes, I believe so. Another one of my goals is to play in the NBA. I’ll say this, though—I don’t play basketball to play in the NBA. I play basketball because I love to play basketball and I love to share the court with my teammates.”
“Like, I would love to play in Europe and travel the world and play in Asia and see all these different parts of the world. But it would be an honor to play in the NBA, and I’m really going to try my best to get there.”**
Houston Mallette’s journey has been anything but conventional. From navigating coaching changes to adjusting to the spotlight of Alabama basketball, his story is one of perseverance. As he continues to make an impact in Tuscaloosa, one thing is clear—his journey is far from over.
