If there was ever a question why Grant Nelson transfered from North Dakota State and why would there have been? it was answered Saturday night. Nelson and his new team, Alabama, are headed to the Final Four.
It's been a pretty good season for the big man from Devils Lake, North Dakota.
To recap: Nelson went from the Summit League to the Southeastern Conference, went from a good mid-major to a big-time quasi-professional program, made solidly into six figures in NIL money, proved he could play against top-level competition to boost his professional basketball stock ... and is now going to the Final Four in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona.
Where, by the way, Alabama will play No. 1-ranked and defending NCAA men's basketball champion Connecticut in the March Madness semifinals.
Nelson and 'Bama have a chance to win a national championship. It's the Crimson Tide's first Final Four in program history.
 He's started every game, played a key role and showed he could play against the best.
Other than that, how did his decision to leave the Bison work out?
The Crimson Tide beat Clemson 89-82 in Los Angeles in a chaotic ballgame in which a foul-plagued Nelson played a bit part while teammates Mark Sears, Jarin Stevenson and Nick Pringle were the heroes. The 3-pointers ruled the day in this one.
Nelson finished with eight points, seven rebounds and two assists and most important to his role four fouls. He picked up two quick fouls before the game was four minutes old and sat on the bench for much of the first half. The third foul came four minutes into the second half and resulted in another trip to the sideline. The fourth came with 10:22 left in the game.
Nelson would not be the national story this night, like he was Thursday in Alabama's victory over North Carolina. The 6-foot-11 wing, who spent three years at NDSU before leaving in the transfer portal last May, rocked the college basketball world against the Tar Heels with 24 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots.
 Nelson was the talk of the sports world for two days. It was likely a profitable performance, whether through a boost in NIL money or a professional contract if Nelson decides to go that route when this season ends.
That will be the question thrown Nelson's way at some point, maybe even in Phoenix.
What's next? He isn't short of options. Nelson could:
Return to Alabama for his final year of college eligibility.
Transfer to another school for his last year.
Declare himself eligible for the NBA Draft while maintaining the option of returning to college.
Declare himself eligible for the draft and turn pro.
Retire from basketball and use the hefty chunk of NIL money he got in Tuscaloosa to spend the next few years sitting on a beach.
Only the last one is sure not to happen.
 Those are questions for another day. Right now, Nelson can celebrate his decision to transfer.
He's heading to the Final Four from Devils Lake, with a stop in Fargo.
It could not have worked any better. ]]> |
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