Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the information about Slater Martin:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Slater Nelson Martin
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Deceased (born October 22, 1925 – died October 18, 2012, aged 86)
  • Hometown: Elmina, Texas
  • Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
  • Weight: 170 lbs (77 kg)
  • Wingspan: 5 feet 11 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 9 (US)
  • Number: Wore #15, #22, and #7 during his career
  • Position: Point Guard
  • High School: Jefferson Davis High School, Houston, Texas
  • College: University of Texas at Austin
  • NBA Draft: Undrafted in 1949
  • Teams Played For: Minneapolis Lakers, New York Knicks, St. Louis Hawks
  • Championship Rings: 5 (1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 with Minneapolis Lakers; 1958 with St. Louis Hawks)
  • Kids: Yes, but details are not widely publicized
  • Siblings: Not publicly documented

Player Archetype / Play Style

Slater Martin’s player archetype was that of a classic floor-general point guard: a steady, hard-nosed backcourt organizer who set the table offensively, pressured the ball defensively, and brought structure to winning teams. At 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, he was small even by the standards of his era, but he made that frame work with quickness, toughness, and relentless guard play. Defensively, Martin was known as a tenacious stopper who often took the toughest opposing guard assignment, while on offense he functioned more as a playmaker and tempo-setter than a volume scorer. His overall play style was compact, smart, and competitive, built on ball handling, passing, control, and gritty point-of-attack defense rather than flash. (The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame)

Fun Facts

  • He was a key member of the Minneapolis Lakers’ dynasty.

Sources:

Basketball Hall of Fame — Slater Martin
Texas Longhorns — Slater Martin – Texas Athletics – University of Texas Athletics
NBA.com — Slater Martin | Guard | Minneapolis Lakers
Houston Chronicle — Slater Martin: A little man with a giant legacy