James Brandon Slater[1] (born September 14, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for Lavrio of the Greek Basketball League (GBL). He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats of the Big East Conference.
 Slater with Villanova in 2021 | |
| No. 34 – Lavrio | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward / Small forward |
| League | GBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 14, 1999 Centreville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Paul VI Catholic (Fairfax, Virginia) |
| College | Villanova (2018–2023) |
| NBA draft | 2023: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023–2024 | Maine Celtics |
| 2024–present | Lavrio |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
High school career
editSlater played basketball for Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Virginia. At Paul VI, he was teammates with Trevor Keels and Jeremy Roach.[2] As a junior, Slater averaged 15.2 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game.[3] His senior season was cut short by a broken left hand.[4] Slater competed for Team Takeover on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit, playing alongside his future college teammate Justin Moore.[5] A consensus four-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for Villanova over offers from Maryland, South Carolina and Miami (Florida).[6]
College career
editSlater had a limited role during his first three seasons at Villanova.[7] As a junior, he averaged 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game. He entered the starting lineup in his senior season.[8] On November 16, 2021, Slater scored 23 points in a 100–81 win against Howard.[9] He averaged 8.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game as a senior, helping the Wildcats reach the Final Four. Slater opted to return for his fifth season of eligibility, taking advantage of the NCAA's decision to offer an additional season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]
Professional career
editMaine Celtics (2023–2024)
editAfter going undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Slater signed a contract with the Boston Celtics on September 28, 2023, however, he was waived the same day.[11] On October 28, he joined the Maine Celtics.[12]
Lavrio Megabolt (2024–present)
editOn August 3, 2024, Slater signed with Lavrio Megabolt of the Greek Basket League.[13]
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Villanova | 15 | 0 | 3.5 | .222 | .000 | .000 | .6 | .1 | .1 | .2 | .3 |
| 2019–20 | Villanova | 31 | 0 | 11.6 | .377 | .150 | .400 | 1.3 | .7 | .4 | .2 | 1.6 |
| 2020–21 | Villanova | 25 | 2 | 16.8 | .493 | .417 | .600 | 2.2 | .5 | .8 | .2 | 3.8 |
| 2021–22 | Villanova | 38 | 38 | 30.1 | .478 | .337 | .881 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .3 | 8.5 |
| 2022–23 | Villanova | 34 | 34 | 29.0 | .452 | .347 | .918 | 4.7 | 1.4 | .9 | .4 | 9.7 |
| Career | 143 | 74 | 20.7 | .456 | .325 | .820 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .7 | .3 | 5.6 | |
References
edit- ^ Rapay, Eugene (January 20, 2023). ""It's James:" Slater sparks Villanova to 57-49 win over St. John's at Madison Square Garden". VUHoops.com. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
- ^ Pell, Samantha (April 3, 2018). "What Villanova is getting in Paul VI senior guard Brandon Slater". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ "Four-star wing Brandon Slater commits to Villanova". USA Today High School Sports. May 25, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ McFadden, Ryan (February 10, 2018). "Paul VI guard Brandon Slater out for the season with broken hand". Inside the Locker Room. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ Holmes, C. J. (October 19, 2021). "Villanova's Brandon Slater has earned his confidence". The Athletic. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ Bogage, Jacob (May 24, 2017). "Paul VI's Brandon Slater commits to play basketball for Villanova". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ Jensen, Mike (November 4, 2021). "Senior Brandon Slater kept his voice and has now found his game at Villanova". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ Rapay, Eugene (November 8, 2021). "Villanova's Brandon Slater ready for starting role". VU Hoops. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
- ^ "No. 5 Villanova holds off hot-shooting Howard 100-81". ESPN. Associated Press. November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ^ Sheridan, Mike (June 10, 2022). "Nova Notebook: After a Step Forward, Slater Tackles New Responsibilities". Villanova Wildcats. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
- ^ Smith, Keith [@KeithSmithNBA] (September 28, 2023). "The Boston Celtics signed and waived Brandon Slater today. Boston also waived Taylor Funk and Jordan Schakel. All three signings were designed around getting the players to the Maine Celtics of the G League this season" (Tweet). Retrieved September 29, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Maine Celtics Announce Training Camp Roster". NBA.com. October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ "Ο Brandon Slater συμφώνησε με το Λαύριο!". LavrioBC.gr (in Greek). August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.