NBA Draft Scouting Report: Alabama's State's Grant Nelson
Grant Nelson
Forward | Alabama
Height: 6'11” | Weight: 235 lbs
2024 Draft Age: 22.26
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Prospect Profile
A prospect that really emerged during the course of the last college season, Nelson is absolutely on draft radars now. With great skill for his size, he has a ton of upside in the modern NBA that features versatile players.
As a shooter, Nelson’s numbers are a bit underwhelming considering the dynamic, versatile, sniping displayed on tape. His unorthodox form greatly contributes to this. He brings the ball up from his waist, cocks it all the way back until it’s next to his ear, and catapults it, all with his elbow flaring out a bit.
It’s possible that his less-than-ideal mechanics are low-hanging fruit to pick, and the fact that he can at least make some shots with this form indicates a good amount of shooting potential. However, we would be more comfortable adopting this viewpoint if he could regularly exhibit good touch on finishes.
Despite this, Nelson was one of the best in the country as it relates to efficiency at the rim. The reality is that high-end touch isn’t necessary for a player with Nelson’s stature and athleticism to be a good finisher.
Nelson’s fluid handle, tantalizing straight-line speed, huge frame, and sleek footwork make him a punishing driver that routinely takes defenders off the dribble. He can both dust slower-footed bigs and overpower smaller guys with bumps, making him a walking mismatch.
The new Alabama transfer is also an awesome positional passer. He can see over the top of defenses to fire cross-court passes, craft creative deliveries with his length, and drop quick dimes with his rapid processing speed.
While movement skills are a strength of his offensive repertoire, Nelson is pretty stiff defensively. He struggles to accelerate in short areas and change directions while in a defensive stance. He also seems to react to situations a step slow.
On the other hand, he’s a gigantic presence at the rim when position, producing a high number of blocks.
With a very odd skillset, it’s essential to highlight how his strengths can reasonably flourish in unison. As an adept driver, passer, and play finisher, Nelson has the foundation of an initiating big man - someone who can weigh facilitating, attacking, and flowing into dribble-handoff pick-and-rolls with the ball in their hands à la Domantas Sabonis. However, he’ll need to continue to work on making contact and sealing when screening.
On the other side of the court, Nelson is at his best closer to the rim. Ideally, he would be placed in a role where his perimeter responsibilities are limited and he can prioritize protecting the rim, such as in a drop.
At this point, Nelson’s flashes of one-of-a-kind brilliance are just that - flashes. It would be unwise for an NBA team to draft the Bison on the promise of this “unicorn” upside. But Nelson can leverage his unique skill-set into carrying out modern big man duties in his own dialect. He clearly has plausible pathways to value on both ends, which can rationalize taking a swing on him come June.
Nelson wasn't a highly ranked recruit coming out of high school, but has improved his game and will have a chance to make the jump to the NBA as soon as the 2024 NBA Draft after dropping out of the pre-draft process in 2023. Especially now that he's transferred to Alabama, he will have a chance to prove he can perform in the SEC against greater talent.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Potential Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.
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