Slater Martin

Slater Martin
source
Name	Slater Martin
Position	Point guard
Height in	10
Weight lb	170
Birth date	22 October 1925
Birth place	Elmina, Texas
Death date	18 October 2012
Death place	Houston
High school	Jefferson Davis High School
College	University of Texas at Austin
Draft year	1949
Draft team	Minneapolis Lakers
Career start	1949
Career end	1960
Career position	Point guard
Career number	22, 7
Years1	1949–1956
Team1	Minneapolis Lakers
Years2	1956–1960
Team2	St. Louis Hawks
Years3	1960
Team3	New York Knicks
Highlights	* 5× NBA champion (1950, 1952–1954) * 7× NBA All-Star (1953–1959) * 5× All-NBA Second Team (1955–1959) * NBA 25th Anniversary Team * No. 22 retired by Minnesota Timberwolves * Consensus second-team All-American (1949) * First-team All-SWC (1948, 1949)

Slater Martin was an American professional basketball player renowned for his tenacious defense and leadership as a point guard during the formative years of the National Basketball Association. A key contributor to the Minneapolis Lakers dynasty of the early 1950s, he won five NBA championships and was selected to seven consecutive NBA All-Star Games. His career, which also included a stint with the St. Louis Hawks, cemented his reputation as one of the premier floor generals of his era and earned him a place on the NBA 25th Anniversary Team.

Early life and education

Slater Martin was born in Elmina, Texas, and grew up in Houston, where he attended Jefferson Davis High School. He excelled in multiple sports before focusing on basketball at the University of Texas at Austin, playing for the Longhorns. Under coach Jack Gray, Martin helped lead the team to consecutive Southwest Conference titles and earned Consensus All-American honors in 1949, setting the stage for his professional career.

Professional basketball career

Drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1949, Martin quickly became the starting point guard alongside legends like George Mikan and Jim Pollard. He was instrumental in the Lakers' championship runs, winning titles in 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954, often tasked with defending the opposition's best perimeter player. In 1956, he was traded to the St. Louis Hawks, where he formed a formidable backcourt with Bob Pettit and Cliff Hagan, helping the Hawks reach three straight NBA Finals and win the 1958 championship against the Boston Celtics. He finished his playing career with a brief period on the New York Knicks in 1960.

Coaching career

Following his retirement as a player, Martin transitioned into coaching, beginning as a player-coach for a minor league team in the Eastern Professional Basketball League. He later served as a scout and an assistant coach for several American Basketball Association franchises, including the Houston Mavericks and the Dallas Chaparrals. His understanding of the game, honed under coaches like John Kundla and Alex Hannum, informed his brief but knowledgeable tenure in coaching and talent evaluation.

Personal life and legacy

Known by the nickname "Dugie," Martin was a fiercely competitive and intelligent player whose impact extended beyond statistics. After his basketball career, he returned to Texas and worked in the banking and insurance industries. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982, and his number 22 jersey was retired by the Minnesota Timberwolves in honor of his contributions to the Lakers' legacy. He passed away in Houston in 2012, remembered as a pivotal figure in the early NBA.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career, Slater Martin accumulated numerous accolades, including five NBA championship rings and seven selections to the NBA All-Star Game. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team five consecutive times from 1955 to 1959. In 1971, he was honored as a member of the NBA 25th Anniversary Team, and his enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame solidified his status among the game's all-time greats. His collegiate achievements at the University of Texas at Austin also earned him a place in the University of Texas Athletic Hall of Honor.

Category:American basketball players Category:Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Category:Minneapolis Lakers players Category:St. Louis Hawks players