Pros and cons of Sacramento Kings taking Furman basketball's Jalen Slawson in NBA draft
Furman basketball’s historic season added another piece of history late Thursday night when Jalen Slawson was picked in the second round of the NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings.
Slawson was the No. 54 overall selection.
“I am extremely grateful to the Sacramento Kings organization for giving me the opportunity to start my NBA career,” Slawson said in a news release from the university. “I can’t wait to get to work.”
Slawson, a 6-foot-7 forward from Summerville, South Carolina, led Furman (28-8) to its first Southern Conference championship since 1980 and its first NCAA tournament victory since 1974. He had a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Paladins pulled off a 68-67 upset of No. 4 seed Virginia in the opening round.
For the season, he averaged 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots,
The positives
Slawson, 23, a five-year college player, is well-rounded and polished at both ends of the court.
He fills up the stat sheet in every category and made himself into an efficient outside shooter, making 39.4 percent of his 3-point attempts. He was 5-for-10 from long range in the conference tournament.
He’s a terrific passer who dished out at least seven assists three times last season. He had double-digit rebounds 10 times. He shot 55.5 percent from the floor and 77.5 percent from the foul line, including 9-for-10 in the NCAA tournament.
Slawson was also the Southern Conference defensive player of the year. He has a high basketball IQ that comes with experience and leadership.
The negatives
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Slawson showed his potential against Virginia and that no doubt went a long way in raising his draft stock.
But he didn’t face the same kind of competition during the Southern Conference season and there could be some concern about whether his numbers would be similar in a better overall league.
Against N.C. State, for example, he was just OK with seven rebounds, six points and four turnovers. In the Paladins’ final game, a loss to San Diego State, he had eight points, two rebounds and four turnovers.
Slawson had the skill and strength to guard the post in a mid-major conference, but that will be difficult in the NBA. It will be a challenge for him to defend and score from the wing.
What else to know
Slawson became Furman’s highest NBA draft pick since Clyde Mayes went No. 22 to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1975.
Furman had a string of top-20 picks during a decade beginning in the mid-1950s. That includes No. 1 overall pick Frank Selvy in 1954 by the Baltimore Bullets.
Nield Gordon went No. 17 to the New York Knicks in 1953, Darrell Floyd No. 18 to the St. Louis Hawks in 1956 and Jerry Smith No. 12 to the Detroit Pistons in 1963.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Sacramento Kings take Furman basketball’s Jalen Slawson in NBA Draft
