Grant Nelson injury update: Alabama NIL collective reveals forward's status for Robert Morris game

Alabama’s Grant Nelson had been questionable, if not doubtful, coming into their opening game of the NCAA Tournament. However, he will be ready to go, come tipoff this afternoon for the Crimson Tide.

Per ‘Yea Alabama’, Nelson will be available for No. 2 Alabama on Friday against No. 15 Robert Morris. That’s after, again, he’d been day-to-day and a game-time decision today per that collective yesterday. That said, per Jon Rothstein at CBS, the Tide will not start him pending on how he does going through warmups in Cleveland.

“We’re going to see how he feels after warmups,” Oats said per Rothstein. Oats’ comments came shortly after the collective broke the news.

Nelson left in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament last weekend with an injury to his left knee. He would not return, with the team’s hope earlier this week being he’d be back at worst on Sunday as he’d be questionable for Friday. ‘Bama got the best-case scenario, though, with him good to go as early as today.

Coming into March Madness, Nelson was one of several injuries that could have had an impact on the bracket. That was especially so in the East Region with No. 2 Alabama and No. 1 Duke dealing with similar statuses, although different injuries, for Nelson as well as Cooper Flagg. Still, both will be available to play today in their respective games.

Nelson has averaged 11.8 points, on a career-best field-goal percentage at 52.8%, with 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks this season. That makes him the Tides’ leader in rebounding and blocks while being second in scoring.

Not only that, Nelson is also important coming off what he did in Alabama’s run last season to their first-ever appearance in the Final Four. He posted 11.4 points (44.4% FG), 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in five games last year in the NCAA Tournament, including 17 points (53.5% FG), 11.3 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in the three games for them in the Sweet 16 to the Final Four.

Even without Nelson, Alabama was, and still is, a significant favorite today over Robert Morris. This was just more about the team’s long-term outlook in the Round of 32 and beyond in the NCAA Tournament, depending on when Nelson would be able to take the court again.

Thankfully for them, Nelson won’t miss any games at all because of the injury. He may not be in his usual starting role but will be able to play at some point, for some extent, today for the Tide in the Round of 64.