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Gator gunner

Nelson prepares to become go-to guy

Brett Nelson Soph. G, Florida 10.2 ppg, 48% 3 pt. FG

We couldn't wait until Midnight Madness to catch up with college basketball's premier players, so we decided to track them down during summer break. Check back here each week to find out whether your favorite hoopster has been bulking up, barbecuing or perfecting his turnaround J.

By Carl Bialik, CNNSI.com

Next year, Nelson will attack the basket with additional bulk and confidence. Bob Rosato

Though the lanky freshman guard didn't start a single game last year, he finished the regular season tied for second on the team in field goal attempts per minutes played (3.5 every 10 minutes) -- and those weren't exactly bricks he was tossing up. In fact, Nelson's penchant for shot-popping proved vital to his team's success in the NCAA tournament. During March Madness, Nelson led the Gators with 3.7 shots per 10 minutes played and shot 52% from three-point range. His hot hand helped usher the Gators past higher seeds Illinois and Duke to a meeting with Michigan State in the championship game.

Nelson says Florida coach Billy Donovan unleashed him somewhat during the tournament. "He had control over me, but gave me freedom to freelance, in a way, in the open court," Nelson says. "As long as I made the play, it didn't matter how I made it. If I was doing a behind-the-back pass or did something crazy, as long as it worked, that was fine."

Quotables On West Virginia: "There's not much to do. You either play sports, or...I don't know what you do." On Jason Williams: "I saw Jason play when he was in junior high. He was doing the same stuff then that he's doing now. He's just bigger and stronger. Plus his shot's gotten a lot better." On Donnell Harvey leaving early for the draft: "It surprised me a little bit more [than Mike Miller's early departure] because he was a freshman. I thought another year could help him." On Billy Donovan: "He just signed a big contract, so I think he'll be here for a few more years. I don't know how long; he has a bright future. I think he's happy. He'll be here for awhile."

While Nelson has confidence to spare, he's lacking somewhat in another important area: weight. This past season there were just 173 pounds hanging on his 6' 3" frame, so Nelson has been hitting the weights this summer back on campus. He's already put on a dozen pounds and hopes to reach the 190-195 range by season's start. The additional bulk should help Nelson reverse an unusual stat: while he shot 43% from beyond the arc last season, he converted only 41% of his two-point attempts. "I'm working on my strength, so when I take it to the basket, I'll finish better," he says.

With the loss of forwards Donnell Harvey and Mike Miller (and their combined 26 points per game) to the pros, Nelson will have more of the spotlight shining on him next season. It's a position he's used to being in. When he was a senior at St. Albans (W.Va.) High, the demand to see Nelson on the court was so high that his Red Dragons played six of their home games in front of sellout crowds at the 13,500-seat Civic Center in Charleston. Some have called Nelson, who averaged 30.5 points in his career at St. Albans, the best basketball prospect to come out of West Virginia since Jerry West. That's quite a compliment, considering that Nelson grew up in the same Kanawha Valley region that produced Rod Thorn, Rod Hundley and, most recently, former Gators guard Jason Williams, who just finished his second season with the Sacramento Kings.

When asked whether he was tempted to follow his fellow Mountain State greats into the professional ranks sooner rather than later, Nelson turned coy. Miller, who is considered a likely top 10 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, was Nelson's best friend on the team last season. "You never know what could happen next year," Nelson says. "I'm just going to have to weigh my options and see what's best for me."

 

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