Jalen Slawson: 2023 NBA Draft Scouting Report
A hero of the NCAA Tournament, Slawson has been an impact defender for years in the SoCon. Can his game and offensive improvement translate to the next level?
I’m not a huge fan of Fall Out Boy but that whole “this is how legends are made” hook keeps playing in my head when I think about March Madness heroes. For the diehard sports fans like me, I remember where I was when watching some of the more memorable moments that take place in sports history.
Perhaps the Furman upset over Virginia in the NCAA Tournament will be similar. Jalen Slawson turned up the heat in the stretch run of the second half to lead the Paladins to a major upset over the Cavaliers, instantly cementing themselves as a Cinderella for the ages.
Those in draft circles and who follow college basketball closely are familiar with Slawson and have seen him as a legitimate prospect for a few years. A fifth-year senior with the Paladins, he got better every year in college on the offensive end and added more skill to his bag. Combine that with off-the-charts analytical metrics and always-impactful defense, and Slawson fits the mold at first glance of a modern forward.
Because Slawson will be 23 on draft night, the first round might feel a tad out of reach for him. His NBA career will likely be built on how quickly he can make an impact as a readymade role player, wing defensive presence, and connective tissue piece on the offensive end.
Any franchise drafting Slawson is getting a high-IQ passer and team defender with competitive instincts and real athleticism. Slawson played the 4 and 5 spots this year for Furman, facilitating their backdoor-based offense a ton from the elbows and diming other players open. He also operated out of the pick-and-pop, improved his three-point shooting year over year, and has enough juice off the bounce to attack closeouts and get to the rim.
It very much feels like Slawson is just beating up on guys at the SoCon level. No disrespect to the league, but there are not many 6’7” mismatch forwards who could hang with Slawson. He played like a bully, stonewalling drivers with his strong chest, stuffing shots at the rim while looking like he was moving at less than 100% speed, and getting to his spots on offense pretty easily.
The NBA would provide a greater challenge for Slawson, who has built himself into a skilled offensive player who still has some deficiencies. He’ll be an average athlete in the league, no longer have a size or strength advantage over who he defends, and be utilized far less as the focal point of an offense. Some of his auxiliary skills need sharpening, making him slightly more of a risk than most insanely-impactful five-year college players.
Offense
The first key to understanding Slawson is getting a feel for the SoCon and the environment at Furman. Bob Richey, their head coach, runs some terrific offensive sets. The playbook is deep, is predicated on a ton of backdoors and Princeton-esque actions, and has layers and counters up the wazoo.
The key to making it all work these last few years has been Slawson. He plays both the 4 and the 5 in their system while also handling a bit in transition. Athletically, he doesn’t have a great first step, but he’s bigger and faster than any 4 in their league and much quicker than any 5 he’d face routinely. Advantages for him to get to the rim exist.
Slawson’s best offensive skill is his passing. Because most defenders in the Southern Conference sagged off a bit and had to play his athletic driving tools, the Furman offense was humming. Backdoor cutters were open all over the place. Slawson stood at the elbows, picked apart defenses with his feel and IQ, and helped the Paladins become the best team in the league.