Ryan Altman has established himself as not only one of the best high school players coming out of New England, but also one of the region’s biggest winners.
Altman (Brookline, Mass.), a rising senior at the Rivers School, is a three-time NEPSAC Class B champion and two-time Independent School League champion, and he was a member of the Middlesex Magic, one of the best AAU teams nationally on the Under Armour circuit. The 6-foot-6 wing is super long and athletic, and can do a little bit of everything on the court.
Altman recently committed to Penn, where he’ll take his talents in the fall of 2025 with longtime friend and high school teammate Jay Jones (Brookline, Mass.). But he also has some big goals he wants to accomplish before then.
Before competing in A Shot For Life last week, Altman chatted with the New England Basketball Journal in a wide-ranging Q&A. Topics included his Penn decision, the story of when he faced off against No. 1-ranked recruit AJ Dybantsa (Brockton, Mass.), his favorite warmup song, and much more.
How did you get into basketball?
“I kind of grew up around the game. Both my parents played in college at Trinity. And then I’m the youngest of three siblings, so my older brother, my older sister both played, so I just kind of grew up around the game and I wanted to be like everyone older than me. I kind of just fell in love with it from a young age, just being around it.”
When did you dunk for the first time?
“My first dunk, it was my eighth grade summer, and I had been trying for many months to try to get up to the rim. I’ve been touching the rim, dunking tennis balls, volleyball, and then one day, I was just feeling good. I went in my backyard and I jumped and I did it. I remember I ran inside, screamed, told my mom and it was just a really cool day. And then she came out and she recorded it and it was awesome.”
How would you describe your own game? What do you feel your strengths are as a player?
“I feel like I’m very versatile. I can kind of do a little bit of everything and whatever the coach needs me to do to get the win. I consider myself a very team guy. Like I don’t care if I score 30 points, two points, as long as my team’s winning, and I can do anything to help winning, that’s all I care about. So I think versatility, being able to guard one through four, one through five, being able to play the one through four, one through five and just doing bits of everything to help my team win.”
Well, you’ve definitely shown that. You’ve won three consecutive NEPSAC titles and two ISL championships at Rivers. Do you have any favorite moments while playing there so far?
“My favorite moments, definitely that Brooks playoff game last year. Our whole school was there, their whole school was there, just an incredible atmosphere. We went down early, we were down 15 points at halftime, and just no one lost faith, no one wavered, we all knew we had each other’s back. We had been practicing for it all year. And then just coming back and being able to get that win in front of everyone was just a surreal moment.”
What’s your go-to warmup song to listen to?
“If I could go any song, it would be ‘A Lot’ by J. Cole.”
You recently committed to Penn. Why did you choose them, and what was the recruiting process like for you?
“It all kind of started my sophomore year in December when I got my first offer from BU. That was the first one, and then throughout sophomore spring and summer I was playing with the Middlesex Magic, and that’s where I got to play in front of all these coaches for the first time. As soon as June 15 hit, they reached out, they talked to me on the phone, texted me.
“Penn was always one I had my eye on, the whole Ivy League. I knew it was a really good spot. And then in October I went on a visit there, and the second I stepped on campus, I knew it was for me. Even my mom, she looked at me, she said, you had that same look when you first toured Rivers. So she kind of had that mom’s instinct where they know. Walking around campus, I could tell it was the place for me. And then getting to sit down, watch a practice, talk to coach (Steve) Donahue, and then after that practice is when he offered me. It was just one of the greatest days I’ve had.
“That was in October, and then throughout the winter, me and my family would watch a lot of games. We would always track them, we actually went to the Palestra twice to see them live. And then, come this June, I kind of took a step back and I realized like, Penn checks every box I’m looking for. Amazing coach, amazing basketball, amazing crowd, amazing city, amazing academics. So I flew down with my entire family in early June, and we committed in person in coach Donahue’s office, which was just a really cool day.”
Having gone through it, what kind of advice would you give to a younger player who’s just starting the recruiting process?
“Easily my biggest piece of advice is to not compare yourself to others. Everybody’s kind of doing their own thing, everyone’s race is different. Like once you start comparing, oh this kid got an offer, oh he has that, my advice would be to just focus on yourself and as long as you put the work in and you know you’re getting better and you’re giving everything you have, that’s the most important thing, 100 percent.”
When did you think you would be good enough to play at a Division 1 level?
“It was February of my sophomore year, we played at St. Seb’s, and at the time, this is when Trevor Mullin (Wellesley, Mass.), AJ Dybantsa (Brockton, Mass.), Jaylen Harrell (Roxbury, Mass.), they were all on this stacked team. My matchup was AJ. Going into it, I was like, all right, (expletive) it, let’s go. It was the biggest stage I’ve played on so far, and then me and him were going back and forth. He finished with like 28, I finished with 26, and in that moment I was just like, you know what, if I’m playing against him and these guys, like, I can do it anywhere. After that game, I kind of realized I can do this and this is for me.
Was that a game you had circled on your calendar, knowing how big AJ was getting?
“(Yes), I saw that coming. Me and him grew up going to camps together, so we’re friendly, we know each other. And then when he started to blow up, I had that game ready. We lost that game, which hurt, but for me personally, that was the game where I feel like I kind of broke out and cemented myself as one of the best players.”
You’ll be going to Penn with Jay Jones, who you’ve grown up with and has been your teammate at Rivers and the Middlesex Magic. How would you describe your relationship with him, and how excited are you to go to college with him?
“That’s my brother, man. Me and him, we’ve been in school together since kindergarten. We’ve been playing basketball together since first grade. So, we’re just a brotherhood. Me and him, as far as chemistry on the court, I don’t think anyone has it better than us two. The fact that we get to do it for four more years is just incredible and I can’t wait.”
Was that something you grew up talking about, if everything worked out, to go to college together?
“We always talked about it in kind of elementary school and then once high school started, it became more serious. We really liked the idea of it, and then once we both got our Penn offers and he committed before I did, we knew it was like fate and it was meant to be.”
Do you think you’re going to be roommates together at Penn?
“Yeah, we’ve talked about that. For the Middlesex Magic, we’ve actually been rooming together our last three tournaments. So it’s been a nice little preview.”
What’s Jay like as a roommate?
“He’s great. He’s clean. He’s easy to live with.”
What are your favorite basketball shoes to wear on the court?
“The Sabrina 1s. I’ve just been loving them. They’re really light, comfortable, they look good.”
What interests or hobbies do you have outside of basketball?
“I love playing fantasy football with my dad. Every Sunday, me and him watch NFL RedZone on the couch and just have a great time. I like to bake. I think baking is kind of cool, like brownies and all that. And then just hanging out with friends, having a good time and just relaxing.”
Who’s your favorite NBA player?
“My favorite NBA player is probably Luke Doncic. It’s actually a mix of Luka and (Jayson) Tatum, which is funny because they just met. For Luka, I love the way he just controls the game. He plays at his own speed, doesn’t let anyone speed him up. I just love the confidence he plays with and his mentality of just being a killer. And then with Jayson Tatum, I love the way he’s transformed his body. It’s something that I’m currently in the process of trying to do. Just the way from when he entered the league, he’s probably gained about 30 pounds of muscle and now he uses that strength to go finish at the rim and it makes easier to get his shot off. Just seeing the way Tatum’s developed has been really impactful for me.”
Is Tatum someone you model your game after a little bit?
“Yeah, definitely. Just being a taller wing, being able to shoot, drive, rebound, defend and just doing all the things he can do to be a leader.”
What are your goals for your senior season and what are you looking to accomplish before you graduate?
“Senior year, I’ve got a lot of goals for this year. First one, trying to get the 1,000-point mark. I’m right on pace to get it early in December, I think. So, hit that. Obviously win the holiday tournament again, which is like our big thing the whole school goes to. And then win the ISL and win NEPSAC for the fourth straight year and be the first person in Rivers history to do it. And then, two more would be just to win ISL MVP and NEPSAC Class B Player of the Year.”
