Alabama's Grant Nelson picked a great time to have his most impactful game of the 2023-24 season.
The senior forward completely took over in the Crimson Tide's Sweet 16 win over North Carolina. After converting one total field goal in Alabama's first two NCAA Tournament wins over Charleston and Grand Canyon, Nelson exploded for 24 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in the victory over the Tar Heels.
Nelson was one of the most sought-after prospects in the transfer portal last offseason, taking his talents from North Dakota State to Alabama. His versatility was a big reason for that and it was on full display on the brightest stage of his college career to this point.
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Nelson has been on the NBA Draft radar for two seasons now, but his stock is on the rise after his breakout performance against UNC.
MORE: NBA Mock Draft: Predicting where March Madness stars will go
Just how much has Nelson helped himself? The Sporting News breaks down his NBA Draft profile below.
Grant Nelson stats
| Stat | Average |
| Points | 11.8 |
| Rebounds | 5.6 |
| Assists | 1.5 |
| Blocks | 1.6 |
| Steals | 0.7 |
| Field goal % | 49.1 |
| 3-point % | 27.9 |
| Free throw % | 80.9 |
Grant Nelson strengths
Nelson is a 6-11, floor-stretching forward who can impact the game inside and out.
On offense, he is a versatile weapon who can shoot from the perimeter, score with smooth footwork and soft touch in the post, handle the ball or simply throw down lobs from the dunker's spot.
Nelson has fluid mobility for his size. He is capable of putting the ball on the deck to attack the rim, but he can also space the floor as a catch-and-shoot threat.
He is an intriguing pick-and-roll option because he can be used as a roll-man, popper or ball-handler on inverted sets. Alabama used him in all three actions in its win over North Carolina and there is no doubt that his multifaceted skillset caught the attention of NBA scouts.
On defense, Nelson is a solid shot-blocker as both a primary and help defender. He has sufficient lateral quickness to hold his own on the perimeter, which is important because his stature won't lend him to becoming a traditional defensive anchor at the next level.
Nelson is a different player when he is competing with the passion and intensity we saw in the Sweet 16.
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Grant Nelson weaknesses
Even though Nelson has NBA size and floor-stretching potential, he is an older prospect (22 years old) who has regressed from dominating mid-major teams at North Dakota State to blending in against high-major and SEC competition at Alabama.
Consistency has been one of his most glaring issues. Case and point, combining for six points on 1-of-7 shooting from the field (0-1 from 3) with only two rebounds and two blocks over the Crimson Tide's first two March Madness games. And those types of disappearing acts were happening all season.
Nelson is a willing 3-point shooter but he is sub-30 percent on over 300 attempts for his college career. He is not a player who embraces physicality, lending him to be more of a wing than a forward at the next level even though his defensive skillset is better around the basket.
He's not a known rebounder or passer. Nelson has 166 assists to 212 turnovers in his college career.
But even with all this said, it is easy to see why NBA teams would be excited about his ceiling as a prospect.
Grant Nelson NBA Mock Draft projection
Mock Draft projection: Second round
Considering Nelson was not on most Mock Draft boards before the NCAA Tournament, a leap into the second round is an improvement.
As a near-7-footer who can shoot, handle the ball and protect the rim, Nelson is sure to draw NBA attention with every breakout game. He is also the type of player who will impress in pre-draft workouts as long as he's knocking down shots with some consistency.
Nelson has the archetype of a prospect who could be better at the NBA level than college.
Grant Nelson NBA player comparison
Plays like: Santi Aldama
Nelson's frame and playstyle remind me of Grizzlies forward Aldama.
Aldama is listed at 6-11, 224 lbs. with a wingspan true to his size. At last year's NBA Draft Combine, Nelson measured 6-11, 223 lbs. with a 7-foot wingspan.
They can both play inside and out on offense and protect the rim as quality shot-blockers on defense. Like Nelson, Aldama is a solid — but inconsistent — perimeter shooter who at least warrants attention from opponents on the 3-point line.
Aldama isn't a bad blueprint for Nelson to follow in the NBA, either. He went from being a flier as the 30th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to an everyday rotation player for the Grizzlies, playing over 20 minutes per game the last two seasons.
