Alabama’s Grant Nelson had a solid five-year career in Division I College Basketball, but it may be his performance in the NBA Draft Combine that ends up turning heads his way. The 6’11” forward from Devils Lake, North Dakota, ran a 2.58-second shuttle run, absolutely shattering Malcolm Brogdon’s 2.64-second mark from 2016.
Grant Nelson Drops Jaws With 2.58-Second Shuttle Run
Nelson’s scoring ability and rim protection already got him attention from scouts, but his quickness may have just blown them away. It just may be too little, too late for the 23-year-old.
Most NBA mock drafts don’t include Nelson, likely in part due to his subpar career 28.7% shooting from beyond the arc. But that didn’t stop Alabama head coach Nate Oats from giving him a ringing endorsement.
“I hope he gets a chance at playing in the NBA,” Oats said. “He’s got a chance. I think he’s at that skill level, at his size, he’s gonna have it. Maybe he has to climb up a different route. Maybe he’s got to be a two-way and get there that way.”
“But he’s got a chance when he can stay healthy and really get a shot down. So he’s been a great fit. We run an NBA offense. He’s a skilled big that NBA teams want for guys that make sense in an NBA offense.”
Nelson started his college career at North Dakota State, starting 56 games in three seasons and appearing in 86. In his junior year with the Bison, he averaged 17.9 points per game, adding another 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.
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Nelson then transferred to Alabama, where he started 71 of 74 games for the Crimson Tide. In his first year at Alabama, he averaged 11.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. And while his scoring numbers dipped a little last year, to 11.5 per game, his rebounding numbers jumped up, to 7.6 per game. Nelson shot 52.2% from the field and 25.8% from three last season.
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