Putting a Dagger in North Carolina’s Hopes, Know All About Grant Nelson and His Family

Published 03/29/2024, 6:15 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Stories backed by families are always inspiring. But do they come in a package that Grant Nelson got? Reigning down from a huge family, the 22-year-old Alabama Crimson Tide senior has ensured that he gives his hometown in North Dakota a big name. With some sensational balling skills, the 6″11′ forward is doing all and more for his new team after spending three years with the North Dakota State Bison.

In their Sweet Sixteen matchup with the Tar Heels, Alabama was missing their star guard, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. on the floor. The guard has been out since his head injury in the opening game against Grand Canyon. Nevertheless, Nelson made a point that the Crimson Tide can still do quite some harm to its opponents.

In fact, his stellar defensive skills mingled with his accurate shots, brought the victory home for the team tonight against the 1-seed North Carolina. He brought in some late leads for his team and booked a ticket to the Regional Finals with an 89-87 victory. Nelson grabbed a double-double with 24 points, shooting 66.7% from the field and a whopping 100% from beyond the arc. He also contributed with 12 boards, 5 blocks, and a steal. He dished out an assist in his 36 minutes of play as well.

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However, none of this would have been possible if his family had not supported him and helped him with the right decisions through his college basketball career. Let us find out who all are in his family.

Meeting the Grant Nelson family

Grant Nelson was born on March 18, 2002, in Devils Lake, North Dakota. His parents, Nels and Meg Nelson, have 3 more boys and 4 girls, making it a family of ten. While his parents had his back at every turn in his life, they left the major career decisions to him. However, Grant’s 36-year-old half-brother, Justin Thomas, who works in the insurance department in Bismarck, North Dakota, has been his personal assistant of sorts. What started with a video clip on X by the NBA Central ended up bringing the spotlight on Grant.

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He became one of the hottest names in college basketball with his guard-like skills, handling, and shooting. His solid outside shots and efficiency on the rim were also quite apparent. While Nelson committed to the 2023 NBA draft, the family sat together, and he finally withdrew his name. Although he did sign up for the NCAA transfer portal to become part of Alabama, the rest is history.

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Apart from himself, Grant’s younger brother — Joel Nelson — is also following in his older brother’s footsteps. The 6 ft 6 in hooper plays for the Devils Lake Firebirds men’s basketball team and has recently won the state championship. This achievement sets the youngling apart from his brother Grant who could not win it.

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With other sensational prospects in his hands like Jahvon Quinerly and HOFSTRA guard Aaron Estrada along with Wrightsell, Nate Oats is prepared to take down anyone who comes in front of him and his team. It will be quite interesting to see if Grant Nelson commits to the NBA draft this season or takes up his extended COVID-19 eligibility to add more feathers to his hat. Do you believe his family will again make some good points for him?

Read More- “ACC M**f**s”: Clemson Coach Hypes Up North Carolina After Memorable Upset vs Arizona

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Written by:

Srashti Sharma

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Srashti Sharma is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports, known for her in-depth researching skills. From the very first time that she heard about Kobe Bryant, she herself cultivated a Mamba Mentality. She loves the competitive nature of the sport which fuels her inner sportswoman.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth