Sacramento Kings introduce Colby Jones & Jalen Slawson
Jun 27, 2023, 3:58 PM
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Two NBA dreams came true on Tuesday morning as Sacramento Kings’ 2023 NBA Draft selections Colby Jones (34th overall pick) and Jalen Slawson (54th pick) took the stage at Golden 1 Center with general manager Monte McNair.
Both players held up their new jerseys–Jones, a number 20 jersey (most recently worn by Jahmi’us Ramsey in 2022) and Slawson, a number 18 uniform (last worn by Omri Casspi in 2017)–before taking questions from the local media.
Jones, a 6’5 wing that can play the two and three, was a threat from beyond the arc during the 2022-23 season, shooting 38 percent from three-point range while pulling down 5.7 rebounds per game.
The 21-year-old ranked 9th in the Big East in points per game, 15th in three-point field goal percentage, and 13th in steals per game.
Slawson, a 6’7 wing with a 6’11 wingspan, averaged 15.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 55 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range over 36 games.
Both players shared their excitement in joining a Kings team that just snapped a 16-year playoff drought and took the Golden State Warriors to the brink of elimination, with Slawson sharing that it was hard to miss what Sacramento was doing in 2022-23.
“I feel like it was kind of hard not to follow along,” Slawson said when asked if he had followed what the team was accomplishing last season. “The video of Coach Brown sprinting up and down the floor at practice, once you see what’s going on, you’re invested.”
Jones and Slawson both went to dinner with Brown and the rest of Sacramento’s coaching staff on Monday night, then had breakfast with star guard De’Aaron Fox before Tuesday’s press conference.
Both players answered an assortment of basketball-related questions during a 15-minute press conference, including questions about their fit with this current Kings roster, the importance of defense, and much more.
To hear from Sacramento Kings rookies Colby Jones and Jalen Slawson, click the ‘play’ button on the video that is located near the top of this post.
Sacramento Kings Offseason Schedule
- Friday, June 30– Free Agent negotiating period begins
- Monday, July 3rd & Wednesday, July 5th – California Classic Summer League at Golden 1 Center
- Thursday, July 6– Free Agents can begin signing deals
- Friday, July 7–Monday, July 17– NBA Summer League in Las Vegas
- August TBD– 2023-24 NBA regular season schedule release
- September TBD– Sacramento Kings training camp begins
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