Grant Nelson, a big man for North Dakota State, has risen to prominence over the past month. Especially in light of the NBA Draft Twitter.
Grant Nelson of North Dakota State is a player to keep an eye on
If you keep up with college basketball on social media, chances are you’ve seen Grant Nelson’s best moments.
We all know how an unheralded player can gain instant fame and millions of views on social media with one ridiculous dunk or nasty crossover.
Never before have I seen social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter used to make a relatively unknown prospect (in this case, a 6’11” forward from North Dakota State University) into an NBA Draft sensation overnight.
On Thursday night, I saw the 6-foot-11-year-old junior play in Kansas City. The Devils Lake native was scoring 17.2 points per game and pulling down 8.7 boards. The Bison improved to 12-15 on the season and 9-6 in conference play, good for third place in the Summit League, thanks to his 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
The athletic Nelson. He is a very coordinated, bouncy, and fast runner. He’s an up-and-coming player who plays at a fast clip and can score in the midst of an offense’s flow.
There were NBA teams there to get a look, so I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of him becoming a professional basketball player. It wasn’t the first time high-level basketball scouts came to see him, and it won’t be the last.
After the game, I had a chance to chat with head coach David Richman, who has guided Nelson to become a highly successful collegiate player and intriguing Draft prospect.
“Number one, he’s an incredible kid and he’s got great character,” Richman told 247Sports. “His humility is terrific and there’s not too many creatures on this planet who are 6-foot-11 and can do the things he does with the ball and the way he moves. He’s a really good player right now but he’s just scratching the surface.”
“Just scratching the surface,” that’s what stuck out to me because I saw a kid who deserves to be on the professional radar, but one who isn’t quite ready to play at the ultimate level. NBA personnel have indicated to me that they wouldn’t be surprised if Nelson tested the waters, but at this point a return to school would be in his best interest.
“Good college player,” said a Western Conference executive. “We like his size, motor and athleticism. The shooting is a big question mark for a modern big. If he stays in school and proves he can shoot it would be a game changer for him.”
Nelson’s jump shot is a major area of concern and potential growth for his game at the professional level. In the highlights, a spectacular dunker consistently drops threes. In 80 career games, the numbers show that he has made just 63 three-pointers, for a percentage of just under 31%.
“His shot, we weren’t able to do a whole bunch with him in the summer because he was rehabbing some injuries,” said Richman. “So, I think his shot has a lot of room for improvement. I think he can get stronger I just think in every area, like defensively when he gets stronger and that core gets stronger, he’ll be better laterally. The young man has a bright future.”
“I don’t know where you want to take this article but our focus is on North Dakota State and winning games,” said Richman. “I’m proud of the success that Grant is having, I’m proud of the success that our group is having and that’s all I’m going to talk about at this point.”
The present moment is all that matters; Nelson is currently penning a stellar academic record. He’s putting on a show for his home state and demonstrating once again that if you pursue exposure from scouts or the press, you’ll get it. Even more remarkably, Nelson seems to be completely unaffected by the sudden influx of attention, continuing his diligent work ethic.
“No, he’s been great, he’s been in the moment” replied Richman when asked if the attention has changed Nelson in any way. “We’re pretty transparent in our recruiting process about the type of young men that we want and it’s about winning. I think some of us get caught up in selfishness and Grant is not that. I think at times he could be more selfish for us.
“He’s stayed in the moment and true to who he is in wanting to win games and be with his teammates and continue to leave a legacy at North Dakota State.”
