Grant Nelson
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Grant Nelson is living his dream.
Brooklyn Nets power forward Grant Nelson made franchise history in his second NBA game on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he knows what’s driving him in the process.
Nelson scored 11 points and tallied four rebounds, three blocks, a steal, and an assist in a 106-102 loss to the Cavaliers. The former Alabama and North Dakota State star became the first-ever Nets player to tally 10 points, five assists, and five blocks overall in his first two career games.
“The adrenaline I’ve had just playing in my first NBA games just kind of carried me through it,” Nelson told reporters afterward.
Nelson signed a 10-day contract with the Nets as he moved up from the franchise’s G-League team in Long Island. He signed with the organization as an undrafted free agent last summer after a solid collegiate career that included a Final Four and Elite Eight with the Crimson Tide.
“He’s a very good player, high IQ, he’s got a great feel for the game, and plays extremely hard,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández told reporters afterward. “So, you put all those things together, and he’s played very well in the two chances.”
Nelson will get more chances this week when the Nets play a home-and-home with the Miami Heat on Tuesday and Thursday this week. The Nets then visit the Detroit Pistons next Sunday.
Breaking Down Grant Nelson’s Performance
Nelson has truly provided a spark for the Nets in two showings, and as Sports Illustrated Nets writer Collin Simmons pointed out, the Nets had a 1-point edge when Nelson was on the floor.
“His athleticism was on display on the offensive end throughout the game,” Simmons wrote. “Nelson’s lob threat and pick-and-roll abilities were reminiscent of Parker swinging through the streets of New York City with great speed and power.”
“This sudden burst late in the season has come after rapid improvements from the NBA Summer League, to 23 games in the G League and now playing with the Nets on a 10-day contract,” Simmons added.
Nelson averaged 11.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in the G League, and his initial NBA performance is promising. That said, Simmons didn’t want to forecast Nelson’s long-term future with the Nets yet.
“It’s uncertain if Nelson will ever be a consistent member of Brooklyn’s rotation or be a headline player in the league, but he has all the tools to be a contributing sidekick based on what he’s shown through his early NBA experience,” Simmons wrote.
‘A Dream My Whole Life’
Nelson doesn’t come from a major hoops hot bed in Devils Lake, North Dakota, but he has impressed throughout his prep, collegiate, and G League careers sufficiently to make it to the NBA and play significant minutes.
“It’s really been my dream my whole life. So it’s just fun to get out there, play with some of the best players in the world,” said Nelson. “It’s just really a dream. But I know the work’s not done. I still got a lot to work on.”
Nelson actually isn’t the NBA player from North Dakota nor the first Nets player. Former Nets player Phil Jackson came from Williston, North Dakota, and he is best known for coaching championship teams with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.