The visit must have made an impression! Nolan Nelson, a 3-star recruit in the class of 2027 committed to the Paladins shortly after visiting campus late in August. Nelson is a big time pickup for Bob Richey, and is Furman’s second highest rated recruit ever according to 247sports.
Ranked 172nd in the nation, the 6’8 power forward had a final five of Florida, South Florida, Harvard, and Santa Clara in addition to the Dins. Nelson was recruited hard by former Furman associate head coach Jeremy Growe at USF while Santa Clara has produced NBA starters Jalen Williams and Brandin Podziemski in recent seasons. Ultimately, Nelson saw the value of development and atmosphere in a small school environment where he’d have the chance to cut down the nets each year. In an age where the big programs focus on the portal, the Paladins have been able to stack talent out of high school and put the renowned Furman development to work. Nolan Nelson is next.
Nelson is a big body that will have the opportunity to play right away. He averaged 13.5 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and just over a steal and a block per game last year. He’ll look to be a true stretch four: comfortable underneath while showcasing scoring from all three levels. Nolan has no trouble handling the ball when necessary, but doesn’t float around the perimeter. Instead, he pounds it inside, gets his man underneath the rim, and often finishes off with a dunk. Nelson clearly has a propensity for rebounding and still has his senior season and a Furman summer to build on an already collegiate ready frame. Defensively, he has the length to guard other bigs and should be able to switch onto the perimeter in certain situations.
Furman fans should be very excited about another outstanding freshman class that is on its way to campus. Click here to view a short highlight reel of Nelson.