Who is 2023 NBA prospect Jalen Slawson's father? A look back at his Tom Slawson's college basketball career at The Citadel

Jalen Slawson is a 6-foot-7 basketball player who is aggressive on both ends. A combination of his skill and height makes him a good scorer and passer. Because he is an NBA draft prospect, Furman fans may be curious about his background and family.

This article provides a glimpse of his father’s life.

Jalen’s father, Tom Slawson, was the top forward at Citadel basketball from 1976 to 1980. During his tenure, he scored 1,408 points in four seasons. He ranks as the sixth-leading scorer in the program’s history. Tom recorded 17.1 points per game as a junior and 15.4 ppg as a senior and was one of the formidable forwards in the region.

In 1978-79, he helped The Citadel go 20-7 (10-4 Southern Conference) under Les Robinson. That's the school’s second-best conference record ever. He also won numerous honors including two All-SoCon second-team accolades. Besides, he topped the rebounding leaderboard for three successive seasons.

Tom finished his career at The Citadel with 1,408 points and was seventh in rebounding. He is enshrined in The Citadel’s Hall of Fame.

Tom’s role in Jalen’s career choice

Tom saw the athleticism in his son and encouraged him to focus on basketball. Apart from speed, Jalen has an impressive leaping ability which gives him an advantage over shorter guards. In his high school career, Slawson averaged 10.5 rebounds, 14.6 points and 4.1 blocks per game.

At Furman, he became a key backup in his freshman year. He became a starter in his sophomore year, and the additional play time enabled him to showcase his skills.

Jalen Slawson’s achievements

Like his father, Jalen takes his basketball career seriously. As a junior, Slawson averaged 8.7 ppg and 5.3 rpg. As a senior, Jalen averaged 14.4 points, 3.7 assists, 7.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 2.5 steals. Consequently, he won the first-team All-SoCon and SoCon Defensive Player of the Year.

Tom's basketball history and skillset have trickled down to Jalen and helped him become a highly-rated combo forward due to his disruptive power, athleticism and size. Besides, he is a good rebounder and is capable of guarding forwards.