One of the top players still left in the NCAA Basketball transfer portal is Grant Nelson. He wasn’t much of a national figure since he was playing at North Dakota State the past three seasons but he had a breakout campaign as a junior. The 6’10 big man averaged a team-leading 17.9 ppg and 9.3 rpg, making both the 1st-Team All-Summit and all-defensive team this past year.
Nelson was in the NBA Draft process for the past month and it looked like he could leave. Instead, he came back around the deadline, instantly becoming a marquee option for teams still needing frontcourt help. And while there will be more teams in the mix, there’s a list of four publicly available, including a couple that already have visits lined up.
Initial shortlist for Grant Nelson:
— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) May 31, 2023
Alabama
Baylor
Florida State
Iowa
Here’s a closer look at how Nelson would fit at each potential option.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The Tide are after a number of big men in June after losing several frontcourt players this offseason. Losing Noah Gurley and Noah Clowney was a given but the sudden departure of Charles Bediako was crippling. That leaves former JUCO star Nick Pringle, along with a pair of incoming four-star prospects on the roster.
What makes this a legit option for Nelson is that he can play both the four and five-spots. And that’s not a given as the former Bison star will be making the big move from the Summit League to the SEC. The program can place him in the right position, whereas with others, he may be forced to play at a certain spot.