North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson commits to Alabama: What Tide are getting in big man – The Athletic

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s men’s basketball program secured a key commitment from North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman. Here’s what you need to know:
Stylistically, Nelson is a perfect fit in coach Nate Oats’ five-out offensive scheme. Nelson has guard-like skills in a big man’s body; he was a guard in high school until a growth spurt vaulted him to his current frame. As a result, he has the ability to grab rebounds off the rim and push the ball in transition, a staple of Oats’ offense, to create plays for himself or others. Nelson also doesn’t mind giving the ball up to a guard to run the floor or be used as a trailing man.In the halfcourt, Nelson should be comfortable early on given the system he left at North Dakota State. Like his previous school, Alabama’s offense frequently begins with its players on the perimeter and works from there via dribble-drive penetration, cuts, screens, etc. Nelson was the focal point of North Dakota State’s offense, often getting the first touch on the perimeter and deciding what to do from there: dribble-drive to the basket, take a defender into the post and work from there or pass the ball and begin motion.
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Nelson won’t have the same workload in Alabama’s offense. The Crimson Tide return All-SEC performer Mark Sears at guard, and they welcomed accomplished Hofstra guard Aaron Estrada, a 20-point per game scorer into the mix via the transfer portal. That means Nelson can serve as a secondary scorer/playmaker while the loaded backcourt stretches the floor, puts pressure on the rim and creates opportunities in the pick-and-roll.
He’s a high-percentage scorer around the basket but likely won’t stretch the floor consistently as a shooter. He shot just 27 percent from 3-point range last season, 29.4 percent on catch-and-shoot shots but is a career 72 percent free throw shooter which is a significant upgrade from Bediako and Clowney.
Bediako and Clowney were key components of one of the best defensive and shot-blocking teams in the country last season. It’ll be tough to replace that impact, but Nelson’s athleticism is promising. He has shown plenty of ability as a pure shot blocker and rim protector, both in transition and in the halfcourt.
Nelson’s rim-protecting skills will fit nicely in Alabama’s often-used drop coverage with its big men, but he needs to improve on his on-ball defense, especially on the perimeter in a switch situation. That’s an element of his game that NBA scouts will look for as well as he works on his draft stock. But his athleticism provides optimism, Nelson competed at the NBA combine this spring and posted a combine-best 9.99 second time in the pro lane drill, a speed and agility test during which players run, shuffle and backpedal.
Grant Nelson’s pro lane drill: 9.99 seconds. Only sub-10 second of the day so far in this drill. pic.twitter.com/mLB3EFH0XO
— Mike McFeely (@McFeely_Inforum) May 15, 2023

Overall, Nelson is an experienced, immediate-impact performer who will bolster Alabama’s chances in the SEC this season. Given the talent on the roster, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see some overall statistics, like scoring, fall a bit, but there’s plenty of potential for Nelson to be a consistent double-double threat for Oats’ 2023-24 team.
(Photo: Ed Zurga / Getty Images)

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