University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: University of Tennessee Athletics
Slay Selected for Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
February 03, 2025 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Former University of Tennessee men's basketball star Ron Slay is headed to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame (TSHF), as announced Monday afternoon.
Slay is the 16th former Tennessee men's basketball player—four were multi-sport athletes who primarily excelled with another team—to earn enshrinement into the TSHF. In addition, longtime head coach Ray Mears is also an inductee.
This is the third time in the last five years as men's basketball VFL has made the cut, as Slay follows Tony White (2022) and Reggie Johnson (2021).
"Ron Slay's passion for the game of basketball and his dedication to excellence made him one of the most exciting players to ever wear the Tennessee orange," said Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. "His leadership on and off the court, as well as his contributions to the sport in Tennessee, make him a deserving member of the Hall of Fame. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025."
A four-year standout in Knoxville, Slay totaled 1,569 points from 1999 to 2003, good for No. 17 on the program's all-time scoring list. He held the No. 12 spot at the conclusion of his career.
Slay, who averaged 14.4 points per game across 109 career outings, helped the Volunteers win the 1999-2000 SEC regular season title. That year, he also aided Tennessee to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1981 and first ever in the 64-team era.
A 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward, Slay put up an SEC-best 21.2 points per game as a senior in 2002-03, garnering AP SEC Player of the Year and AP Third Team All-America plaudits. He twice earned SEC Player of the Week recognition that season.
The Nashville, Tenn., native was also a Third Team All-SEC designee in 2000-01, when he aided Tennessee to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
In 2008-09, Slay was named to the 20-member Tennessee All-Century team, as chosen by a fan vote and UT-appointed selection committee. In 2017, he earned prestigious SEC Legend status.
Following his illustrious career on Rocky Top, Slay played professional basketball for 13 years, competing in America, Bulgaria, France, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Venezuela. He now co-hosts the popular 3HL afternoon drive show on WGFX-FM in Nashville and serves as a well-renowned basketball analyst for SEC Network.
Slay is the 13th member of the still-growing TSHF Class of 2025 to be announced. The full list, which also includes current Tennessee head men's tennis coach Chris Woodruff, will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The 2025 TSHF induction ceremony, presented by the Tennessee Titans, will take place July 19 at the Omni Nashville Downtown. Tables and sponsorships are available for purchase now at www.tshf.net.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
Slay is the 16th former Tennessee men's basketball player—four were multi-sport athletes who primarily excelled with another team—to earn enshrinement into the TSHF. In addition, longtime head coach Ray Mears is also an inductee.
This is the third time in the last five years as men's basketball VFL has made the cut, as Slay follows Tony White (2022) and Reggie Johnson (2021).
"Ron Slay's passion for the game of basketball and his dedication to excellence made him one of the most exciting players to ever wear the Tennessee orange," said Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. "His leadership on and off the court, as well as his contributions to the sport in Tennessee, make him a deserving member of the Hall of Fame. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025."
A four-year standout in Knoxville, Slay totaled 1,569 points from 1999 to 2003, good for No. 17 on the program's all-time scoring list. He held the No. 12 spot at the conclusion of his career.
Slay, who averaged 14.4 points per game across 109 career outings, helped the Volunteers win the 1999-2000 SEC regular season title. That year, he also aided Tennessee to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1981 and first ever in the 64-team era.
A 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward, Slay put up an SEC-best 21.2 points per game as a senior in 2002-03, garnering AP SEC Player of the Year and AP Third Team All-America plaudits. He twice earned SEC Player of the Week recognition that season.
The Nashville, Tenn., native was also a Third Team All-SEC designee in 2000-01, when he aided Tennessee to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
In 2008-09, Slay was named to the 20-member Tennessee All-Century team, as chosen by a fan vote and UT-appointed selection committee. In 2017, he earned prestigious SEC Legend status.
Following his illustrious career on Rocky Top, Slay played professional basketball for 13 years, competing in America, Bulgaria, France, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Venezuela. He now co-hosts the popular 3HL afternoon drive show on WGFX-FM in Nashville and serves as a well-renowned basketball analyst for SEC Network.
Slay is the 13th member of the still-growing TSHF Class of 2025 to be announced. The full list, which also includes current Tennessee head men's tennis coach Chris Woodruff, will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The 2025 TSHF induction ceremony, presented by the Tennessee Titans, will take place July 19 at the Omni Nashville Downtown. Tables and sponsorships are available for purchase now at www.tshf.net.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men's basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
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