Slater Martin

Minneapolis Lakers dynasty guard — five-time NBA champion and the defensive anchor of the Mikan era.

Slater Nelson Martin Jr. was born in Falls City, Texas in 1925. Minneapolis Lakers signed him in 1949 and he spent seven seasons as the defensive cornerstone of the dynasty. He won five NBA championships with the Lakers (1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) and then with the St. Louis Hawks in 1958. He was selected to seven All-Star games and named All-NBA Second Team four times. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. His scoring average of 9.8 points understates his contribution enormously — he was George Mikan's primary defensive partner, the ball-handler who set the pace, and the player who guarded the opponent's quickest guard every night. His tenacity on defence made the Minneapolis offence function — Mikan could not have dominated without someone controlling the game at the other end and in the backcourt. He was named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1970. He later coached and was one of the most respected basketball minds of the post-playing era. The Minneapolis dynasty's historical dominance is rarely discussed without Mikan, but Martin's contribution was the foundation on which that dominance was built.

Quick, intelligent point guard with exceptional court vision, ball-handling skills, and defensive tenacity

One of the greatest point guards in early NBA history, instrumental in Lakers' five championships

• NBA Champion 5x
• All-Star 7x
• All-NBA Second Team 4x
• Hall of Fame (1982)
• NBA 25th Anniversary Team