Alabama's Grant Nelson chose the perfect time to play his most impactful game of the 2023-24 season.
The senior forward took over completely in the Crimson Tide's Sweet 16 win over North Carolina. After making just one field goal in Alabama's first two NCAA Tournament games against Charleston and Grand Canyon, Nelson exploded with 24 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in the win over the Tarheels.
Nelson was one of the hottest prospects in the transfer portal last offseason, taking his talents from North Dakota State to Alabama. A big reason for this is his versatility, which was on full display on the most prestigious stage of his college career to date.
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Nelson has been in the NBA draft spotlight for two seasons now, but his stock is trending upward after a strong performance against UNC.
More: NBA mock draft: Predict where March Madness stars will end up
How much did Nelson help me? Sporting News has detailed his NBA draft profile below.
grant nelson stats
| status | average |
| point | 11.8 |
| rebound | 5.6 |
| assist | 1.5 |
| block | 1.6 |
| steal | 0.7 |
| field goal % | 49.1 |
| 3 points% | 27.9 |
| Free throw% | 80.9 |
Grant Nelson's Strengths
Nelson is a 6-11 floor-stretch forward who can make an impact on and off the game.
On offense, he is a versatile weapon who can shoot from the perimeter, score with smooth footwork and a soft touch in the post, handle the ball, and throw lobs from a dunker position.
Nelson has fluid mobility for his size. He has the ability to put the ball on the deck and attack the rim, but he can also space the floor as a catch-and-shoot threat.
He is an interesting pick-and-roll option as he can be used as a roll man, popper, or ball handler in inverted sets. Alabama used him in all three games in the win over North Carolina, and his versatile skill set is sure to catch the attention of NBA scouts.
Defensively, Nelson is a solid shot blocker both as a main defender and as a help defender. This is important because while he has enough lateral quickness to hold his own on the perimeter, his height doesn't suit him to be a traditional defensive anchor at the next level. .
Nelson is a different player when he competes with the kind of passion and intensity we saw in the Sweet 16.
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Grant Nelson's Weaknesses
Nelson has NBA size and immense potential, but he is an older prospect (22 years old) and has regressed from dominating a mid-major team at North Dakota State to a high-major team at Alabama. and has even blended into SEC competition.
Consistency is one of his most glaring issues. In the Crimson Tide's first two games of March Madness, he scored six points on 1-of-7 shooting from the field (0-1 of 3) with just a rebound and two blocks, leading to a case and point. . And such disappearing acts were happening all season long.
Nelson is an aspiring 3-point shooter, but has shot less than 30 percent on more than 300 attempts in his college career. He's not a very physical player, so while he has good defensive skills near the basket, he could play more of a wing role than a forward at the next level.
He's not known as a rebounder or passer. Nelson has 166 assists and 212 turnovers in his collegiate career.
But with all this being said, it's easy to see why NBA teams would be excited about his ceiling as a prospect.
Grant Nelson NBA Mock Draft Prediction
Mock draft projection: 2nd round
Nelson's jump to the second round is an improvement considering he wasn't on most mock draft boards before the NCAA Tournament.
As a nearly 7-foot player who can shoot, handle the ball and protect the rim, Nelson is sure to garner NBA attention with every breakout game. He's also the type of player who will impress in pre-draft workouts as long as he's making knock down shots with some consistency.
Nelson has the mold of a prospect who could be better at the NBA level than in college.
Grant Nelson NBA Player Comparison
Play like this: Santi Aldama
Nelson's frame and playing style are reminiscent of Grizzlies forward Aldama.
Aldama is listed at 6-11, 224 pounds. It spread its wings, perfect for his size. At last year's NBA Draft Combine, Nelson measured in at 6-11 and 223 pounds. It has a wingspan of 7 feet.
They can play both inside and outside on offense and protect the rim as quality shot blockers on defense. Like Nelson, Aldama is a solid but inconsistent perimeter shooter who deserves at least some attention from opponents on the 3-point line.
Aldama isn't a bad blueprint for Nelson to follow in the NBA. He went from being a Flyer, the No. 30 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, to becoming an everyday rotation player for the Grizzlies, playing more than 20 minutes per game the past two seasons.
