Boasting a massive 7'2.5" wingspan and elite verticality, this South Florida standout offers the explosive rim protection and lob-catching prowess necessary to bolster Sacramento’s second-round draft board.
The Sacrmento Kings have two second-round picks -- Nos. 34 and 45 -- expanding the range of prospects to choose from in the 2026 NBA Draft next month.
Lorenzo J. Reyna and Matthew Feldman of the KingsRoundtable have covered various prospects who are likely second-round picks: Tennessee's Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Santa Clara's Allen Graves and Alabama's Amari Allen.
Sunday's profile will focus on South Florida forward Izaiyah Nelson, who is one of three mid-major players invited to the NBA Draft Combine and is aiming to become the first player drafted out of USF since 2010.
Explosive Athleticism
Nelson recorded a 38.5-inch maximum vertical during combine drills and often showcased that explosiveness in his senior season at USF.
He is a dangerous lob threat in any scenario, but primarily in the pick-and-roll game. Nelson connects on the screen to generate separation and free himself for an uncontested roll to the rim for a lob.
The 6-foot-10 forward throws down ferocious dunks that get the bench and crowd jumping out of their seats.
He runs the lane hard during fast breaks, creating mismatches for teams with poor transition defense and getting wide-open, thunderous dunks out of it.
High Defensive Activity
Nelson is a high-energy player, and it shows on the defensive side of the ball. He recorded three stocks this past season (1.4 blocks and 1.6 steals).
His 7'2.5" wingspan makes him a pesky secondary defender when blitzing or trapping the ball-handler. He can disrupt the ball-handler's dribble, forcing them to pass elsewhere. Nelson's length also makes an easy shot difficult because players have to shoot over his wingspan and height.
Nelson has recorded more than a block a game in all four college seasons -- three at Arkansas State and one at USF. He did not average more than one steal a game until he transferred to USF.
Areas of Concern
The lack of shot creation or shooting is a weakness in Nelson's game. He is a play finisher, often receiving lobs, dump off passes under the basket or feasting off the offensive glass.
Sometimes, the lack of shooting or shot creation isn't much of an issue for some forwards in the NBA, but that means their other skills are elite to earn consistent playing time.
Draft Projection
Nelson went 50th to the Toronto Raptors in ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo's mock draft last Sunday. He is cemented as a second-round pick and could be a player Brooklyn takes with the 43rd pick if he impresses the organization.
Are Kings a Fit?
Nelson would become the fifth player 6-foot-10 or over on the Kings if drafted, adding more size and rebounding in the front court. However, his lack of shot creation and shooting would be glaring in Sacramento.
Maxime Raynaud and Domantas Sabonis can space the floor a bit, but are not high volume, efficient three-point shooters.
Adding a high-energy, athletic forward would be nice, but the lack of shooting would shrink the spacing on the court, meaning Nelson would have to improve his three-point shooting or shot creation.
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