2024 NBA Draft scouting report: Grant Nelson

The Alabama Crimson Tide put No. 1 North Carolina to sleep in the Sweet 16, led by the stellar performance of senior big man Grant Nelson. The 22-year-old, who transferred to Bama after three years at North Dakota State, tallied 24 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks. In many ways, it was Nelson's arrival on the national stage. It will be hard to ignore him moving forward, especially if Alabama can extend its historic March Madness run.

We are witness to the second Elite Eight appearance in Alabama history, with the last one coming all the way back in 2004. The Crimson Tide have not been heavily involved in NBA Draft prognosticating this season, but Nelson is 6-foot-10 with real mobility and vertical explosiveness, flashes of 3-point shooting, and one-on-one creation skill. You can bet your bottom dollar he is on the professional radar.

NBA teams won't overreact to one NCAA Tournament game, generally speaking. Nelson has a long road ahead of him. Even if he's not drafted, though, Nelson will surely pop up in Summer League and perhaps on a two-way contract. He'll get his chance to prove his chops at the next level. Whether he catches on early or comes up through the G League, this tournament is not the last we'll see of the skilled big man.

Grant Nelson NBA Draft bio

Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 215 pounds
Birthdate: March 18, 2002
Position: Power Forward/Center
Offensive Role: Slashing Big
Defensive Role: Rim Protector
Projected Draft Range: Undrafted

NBA Draft highlights

Strengths

Nelson certainly exhibits NBA physical tools. At 6-foot-10, he's an exceedingly fluid mover on the offensive end. His ability to navigate tight spaces and create angles off the dribble is rare for a big. He's a fairly dynamic finisher in the paint, comfortable with short hooks, crafty layups, or power slams. Afforded a proper runway, Nelson can play above the rim and operate as a lob threat.

Scouts will naturally be drawn to players with Nelson's blend of size and skill. The success of NBA players is increasingly dependent on that intersection. Nelson can look unstoppable when he's hot from 3-point range, capable of pulling rim protectors out of the paint and skirting around them as a slasher.

Nelson also displays promising instincts as a passer, regularly making reads on the move and setting up cutters. This was his first season averaging more assists (1.5) than turnovers (1.3), potentially aided by the improved talent around him. NBA spacing will work to his advantage, offering more unclogged driving lanes and sight lines.

Where Nelson could thrive most at the next level is out in transition, maximizing his open-floor agility to push the tempo off of rebounds and provide a receptacle for guards, either at the rim or behind the 3-point line.

On the defensive end, Nelson competes hard on the glass (5.6 rebounds in 25.6 minutes) and tends to accumulate blocked shots in bulk (1.6 per game). He can close gaps quickly in the paint and elevate to meet shots above the rim. The fundamentals need work, but Nelson has the potential to adequately deter drives and create events at the next level.

Weaknesses

While Nelson can heat up from 3-point range, he has an unorthodox release that requires a bit of load-up time. He generally needs space and time to fire, and he hasn't exactly been scorching nets all season (27.9 percent on 3.0 attempts). Nelson displays an impressive ability to mix speeds off the dribble, but he's not the beneficiary of an outlier first step. If NBA teams don't have to guard him behind the 3-point line, it will limit his impact as a slasher.

It will also be worth monitoring how Nelson's strength and athleticism in general hold up against NBA (or even Summer League) competition. He's going to have less success bullying his way through smaller defenders at the next level. Nelson has broad shoulders and a solid frame, but most of his contested drives result in below-the-rim attempts and finesse finishes. The length of NBA rim protection, not to mention the physicality he'll deal with on drives, could meaningfully impact his output.

Aside from general efficiency concerns on offense, how Nelson's defense translates will be the real determining factor in terms of his NBA outlook. He's agile and explosive enough to guard the paint, but Nelson is not a particularly great lateral mover out in space. He gets torched on switches and once he's out of position, it's often hard for him to recover.

The inherent boost in competition will neutralize some of Nelson's shot-blocking. He's going to face stronger bigs and more creative finishers. Nelson has a tendency to get his wires crossed in pick-and-roll actions, and NBA offenses will hunt him on switches. The five blocks against UNC were impressive and much-needed, but Nelson's athleticism has its limits, and he needs to work on positioning and awareness.

Final summary

Grant Nelson has a fun package of skills at 6-foot-10, but he's far from surefire NBA material. It would help if the 3-point shot were more reliable, but absent a truly bankable perimeter game, Nelson will rely heavily on specialty finishes around the rim. NBA teams can (and should) put stock into Nelson's ability to create one-on-one and pass on the move, but how it all translates against better competition is an open-ended question.

Alabama's Elite Eight run has been fun to watch, but Nelson has more hallmarks of a college star than a true NBA difference-maker. The defense is a real drawback and for every silky downhill drive, there's a stonewalled turnover or clunky missed 3 to balance out his stock.

The talent is very real, but we should probably pump the breaks a little bit on Nelson's NBA Draft hype.