Photo via Cyro Asseo on YouTube
Grant Nelson, Devils Lake High School’s hometown hero, made his mark at the NBA Draft Combine this past week.
The combine, which took place from May 11-18 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago, featured 75 invitees and some additional standouts from the G League Elite Camp. They showcased their skills and competed in scrimmages in front of scouts, in anticipation of June’s NBA draft. Nelson was one of the 75 invitees after completing his second season with Alabama and fifth college basketball season overall.
He opened some eyes on Tuesday, May 13 with a record-breaking shuttle run performance that made the rounds on social media. Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com posted an X video of Nelson running the test in 2.58 seconds (unofficially), which would be the fastest time in the history of the combine. The previous recorded best was 2.64 seconds by Malcolm Brogdon in 2016, as Chepkevich noted. Brodgon was a 26th-overall selection by the Milwaukee Bucks.
“Alabama’s Grant Nelson just blew the field out of the water with his shuttle run,” Chepkevich wrote in his post.
The short video of Nelson received more than 800,000 views and nearly 4,000 likes on X.
Chepkewich also posted Nelson’s official measurements from the combine. He stood at 6-foot-10 without shoes on, weighing in at 229.8 pounds with a seven-foot wingspan and an 8-foot-11.5 standing reach.
Nelson was one of 10 players on Team Williams, which played scrimmages on Wednesday and Thursday of the same week. His team split the two scrimmages.
Nelson faced his former Alabama teammate Mark Sears on Wednesday, with Sears’ Team Mueller taking a narrow 83-80 win.
Team Williams’ 10 players got a fairly even split of playing time. Nelson played for 18 minutes and scored six points on Wednesday, adding three rebounds and two steals. He shot 3-of-9 overall (0-of-2 from three-point range). He committed two personal fouls.
Nelson helped Team Williams win on Thursday, scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds in a 106-90 win over Team Domercat. He made 4-of-6 field goals (0-of-2 from three) and 1-of-2 free throws. He played 24 minutes, tied for the most of anyone on the team.
This isn’t the first NBA combine Nelson has participated in. He declared for the NBA draft back in 2023 after his third year at North Dakota State University, but he eventually withdrew and transferred to Alabama. He could have gone the NBA route last year, too, but decided to use his final year of eligibility for the Crimson Tide. He made two Elite Eights and one Final Four during his two-year stint with the Tide.
Nelson’s NBA draft prospects are still up in the air. He’s been projected as a second-round pick in the past, but most current mocks have him going undrafted. He often draws praise for his defense and athleticism, aided by his large frame, but his jumpshot and low shooting percentage have been cited as areas of concern. He shot 25.8% from the floor this past season, which was the lowest of his collegiate career. His 7.6 rebounds per game, though, was the second-highest mark of his career behind only his final season at NDSU.
“I’d say just being an all-around guy,” Nelson said of what he’s trying to improve on, in a video interview with Cyro Asseo. “Being consistent. Crashing the glass. That’s something I really have to work on, is crashing the O-glass every single time. Other than that, obviously my three-point shooting needs some work, and just defending every position.”
In an article for Sports Illustrated, writer Hunter De Siver noted that Nelson might have to settle for a two-way contract. This would allow him to get some G League experience with the potential to be promoted to the NBA.
Per De Siver, Alabama head coach Nate Oats said in March that Nelson’s “got a chance when he can stay healthy and really get a shot down. So he’s been a great fit. We run an NBA offense. He’s a skilled big that NBA teams want for guys that make sense in an NBA offense.”
Wrote John Mitchell in an article for Bama Hammer: “Nelson needs a good showing this week in Chicago at the Combine… I haven’t seen any mocks that included Nelson in them just yet, but following an impressive showing in the shuttle drill, don’t be surprised to see Nelson begin working his way into the second-round conversation.”
The two rounds of the 2025 NBA draft will be held on June 25 and 26, respectively, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
