Coveted North Dakota State transfer reportedly receiving interest from Kentucky
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Grant Nelson entered the transfer portal this past week and immediately became target No. 1 for programs across the country.
Simply speaking, it isn’t hard to see why. Nelson is a 6-11 junior PF/C who has been dominating at NDSU for the better part of 3 seasons. His large frame makes him an interior nightmare to deal with, and he hit at a 60% clip from within the 3-point line last season.
We say within because, despite mediocre numbers, Nelson is not afraid to let a few fly from downtown. He hit 25 of his 92 attempts from range last season, an average of just under 1 per game at a 27% clip. It’s not much, but it is definitely enough to spread the floor effectively when needed.
Kentucky was one of tens of teams to reach out to Nelson when he entered the portal.
Kentucky is one of the schools reaching out to NDSU’s Grant Nelson. What you should know about him https://t.co/zyYhJomaIu
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) May 3, 2023
Nelson is currently testing the NBA Draft waters, but should he return to college it would make sense for a high-caliber program such as Kentucky to be a potential landing spot.
Last season, Nelson averaged 17.9 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game and 1.7 blocks per game with the Bison. He played well against Power 6 competition too, totaling 17 points with 6 rebounds against Arkansas and 11 points with 9 rebounds against Kansas.
There are some downsides to his game, however. Nelson is elite defensively, a strong rebounder and a legit No. 1 scoring option, but he had some trouble protecting the basketball at the mid-major level. He averaged 2.6 turnovers per game in 2023.
Those problems would only be elevated facing off against Power 6 defenses were Kentucky (or any other P6 school) his final choice.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
