LAS VEGAS — Brooklyn Nets forward Grant Nelson is one of the many undrafted free-agents from the 2025 NBA Draft that is looking for NBA minutes as soon as possible. While Nelson could have been drafted in the second round based solely on what he did at Alabama, the former Crimson Tide was ultimately not selected. That result opened the door for him to pick a preferred destination.

“From the beginning, they (the Nets) had interest. I figured out I’d go undrafted, and then, I just saw this would be the best opportunity,” Nelson said to the media following Saturday’s practice in preparation for Sunday’s matchup against Tre Johnson and the Oklahoma City Thunder. While being selected in the Draft would have given Nelson more financial security to begin his NBA career, he saw that Brooklyn could be a way for him to get more playing time than he would elsewhere.

Advertisement

“They believed in me, they believed in my development, so I felt like it was a good step for me to come here, learn a lot, and I feel like it’s been going pretty good,” Nelson continued. After the conclusion of the Draft, HoopsHype NBA insider Michael Scotto reported that the Nets were bringing Nelson in to compete for the last of three Two-Way spots on the team. Nelson knows what he has to do to improve his chances of getting that spot.

“They said my role going into the game was have my motor that I’ve played with my whole life, and then just do things to help the team win, whether it’s crashing the glass or getting stops defensively,” Nelson said when discussing the feedback he has received from the coaching staff in the summer league. “I think really just stepping into that, doing what the coaches ask of me and then just going out there trying to do whatever I can to help the team win. I think that’s what’s going to be the best for not only this team, but for myself.”

Nelson, 23, played 13 minutes in Thursday’s 90-81 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, putting up five points and two rebounds in the process. Despite how crowded the Nets’ frontcourt is at the moment, Nelson still has a chance of showing what he can do to potentially join Tosan Evbuomwan and Tyson Etienne as the Two-Way players on the roster or possibly get an opportunity from another team looking for frontcourt depth.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Grant Nelson speaks on Vegas debut, competing for roster spot