Kentucky MBB reportedly reaches out to NDSU transfer Grant Nelson
John Calipari has been quiet in the transfer portal so far this offseason, but a new name has popped up on the Wildcats’ radar.
According to 24/7 High School Hoops, North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson has heard from Kentucky, among several other programs. Nelson is a 6-foot-11, 235-pound power forward who has gradually improved his production throughout his three years with the Bison. The North Dakota native put his name into the transfer portal earlier this week and will have at least two more years of college eligibility remaining.
Along with Kentucky, Nelson has also heard from the likes of Gonzaga, Kansas, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Houston, St. John’s, LSU, Central Florida, Miami (FL), Florida State, Villanova, Nebraska, Georgetown, Cal, and Baylor.
Basically, he’s going to be a highly sought-after prospect. Nelson is also testing the 2023 NBA Draft waters.
Before making his way to college, Nelson was named North Dakota’s Mr. Basketball and a unanimous First-Team All-State selection for Devils Lake High School in 2020. He averaged 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 5.7 blocks per game as a senior but was an unranked recruit before committing to NDSU. Nelson’s only other Division I offer was from North Dakota. He also participated in the high jump during high school.
Once he made his way to NDSU, Nelson quickly made an impact. He was named the Summit League Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman, playing in all 27 games (five starts) for the Bison. The rim-protecting big man averaged 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 20.9 minutes per game in year one.
As a sophomore in 2021-22, his numbers visibly improved, jumping to 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game. His best season was in 2022-23 as a junior when Nelson started all 30 games for the Bison, averaging 17.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 30.7 minutes per outing. He shot a career-high 52.1 percent from the field (and 60.2 percent on two-pointers), as well, on his way to making the All-Summit League First Team and Summit All-Defense Team.
While NDSU’s competition wasn’t on the level of the SEC or other Power 5 conferences, Nelson consistently put up numbers regardless of the team in front of him. Of note, despite battling foul trouble, he scored 17 points in just 21 minutes in the ’22-23 season-opener against Arkansas on Nov. 7. The biggest knock against Nelson is his lack of a reliable outside jumper. He shot 25-93 (26.9%) from deep last season.
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