Draft Scouting Report
Rating: 76
Pro Comparison: Santi Aldama
Summary
Nelson is a forward who played five seasons of college basketball — the first three at North Dakota State, the final two at Alabama. He’s a good athlete for a player his size. But his career 3-point percentage of 28.7% is an obvious area of concern.
About
- Was 2022-2023 First team All-Summit League selection
- Named 2020-2021 Summit League Six Man of the Year
- Earned 2019-20 North Dakota Mr. Basketball
Strengths
- Athleticism: Nelson’s athleticism is enough to where he’s comfortable driving and dunking in traffic.
- Ball-handling: Nelson bounces it comfortably for a player his size, so much so that he can take the ball in transition or play one-on-one.
Weaknesses
- Shooting: It’s hard to see Nelson sticking in the NBA unless he’s truly a threat from the 3-point line - and he just shot below 27.4% from 3-point range in three consecutive seasons.
- Defense: Despite being a good athlete, Nelson has never shown himself to be a good defender - especially in space.
Combine Data
- 20-yard shuttle run: 2.58 seconds
- Wingspan: 7 feet, 0 inches
- Standing vertical leap: 27 inches
- Standing reach: 9 feet, 1 inches
- Lane agility: 10.51 seconds
- Three quarter sprint: 3.23 seconds
- Max vertical leap: 30 inches
Top Grant Nelson News
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Nets' Grant Nelson: Signs with Brooklyn
Nelson is set to join the Nets and compete for a two-way contract, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Nelson served as the enforcer and glue guy for Alabama during the 2024-25 season, averaging 11.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from three across 37 games. The forward boasts explosive vertical athleticism, regularly throwing down highlight-reel dunks, and shows strong instincts playing off the ball. However, he's somewhat of a defensive tweener and must improve the consistency of his jump shot. Though he went undrafted, Nelson could still carve out a role on a Nets squad expected to lean heavily into a youth movement in 2025-26.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-10, 230 lbs |
| Birthplace: Devils Lake, ND |
| Class: Senior |