Nelson picking up learning curve
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- When Florida was playing in the Maui Classic back in November, comparisons between Brett Nelson and fellow West Virginian and NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West seemed as distant as Hawaii is from their native state.
Nelson looked about as confused and out of place as a freshman could have been ... until the New Year. That's when this high school scoring phenom figured out that he
wasn't in high school anymore.
|  | | Brett Nelson's discipline helped Florida get past teams like Illinois. |
Having Nelson buy into Billy Donovan's Florida system of intense, unselfish up-tempo basketball might have been the ignition for the Gators to drive to the Final Four.
"Early on in Maui, I didn't understand the system and what coach wanted," Nelson said. "I was playing like I was in high school, when I had to do everything. My coaches and teammates helped me figure things out mentally in the middle of the SEC season. Physically, I was fine. It was the mental aspect where I wasn't running the offense the way I needed to."
Once Nelson stopped taking quick, errant shots in the offense and cut down on his careless passes, the Gators seemed to feel more at ease with his presence on the court.
During Florida's victory over North Carolina on Saturday, it was Nelson who jumpstarted the Gators' comeback from a second-half deficit with an assist and a pull-up jumper.
"Mentally he's there," Florida sophomore point Teddy Dupay said. "He's playing so well and playing well at the right time of the year when we need
him. He could have gone into a hole when things weren't going well, but he kept at it."
The point guard across the court from Nelson in Monday night's title game will be making his final college appearance. While Mateen Cleaves gets ready to exit a success -- whether Michigan State wins the title or not -- Nelson is ready to shine in his debut on the big stage.
Nelson, whose skeletal arms dangle loosely from his jersey, has as quick a first step as any college guard. He finds the open spot on the floor and usually pops a quick jumper or 3-pointer. He's the perfect fit for a quick-shooting offense that demands immediate decisions on the fast break.
"I'm a happy person right now," Nelson said. "I'm playing basketball like I know how. Early in the year, I was frustrated with myself. I've got to keep
improving and learn from the coaches. I've broken through that wall, though."
Nelson rotates at the point with Dupay, his closest friend on the team, and Justin Hamilton. When Nelson is in the game, the Gators have more scoring
chances, but give up a little bit defensively. But they also have the quarterback of their fast-paced yet demanding offense. Nelson, like Dupay,
is the poster boy for Billy Ball.
"Billy Ball is controlled chaos," Nelson said of the Billy Donovan moniker for the team. "We run, press and get up and down the floor. We get everyone
involved. It's unselfish."
Nelson ended a regular-season game against Tennessee in Gainesville, Fla., doing the opposite. He selfishly popped a 3-pointer without waiting for the Gators to get
rebounders positioned. The Gators lost in double overtime and Nelson was an easy target. But he has since found his spots. He finished 13 points against North
Carolina, nine of which came during a critical second-half run.
Nelson's legend will continue to grow in West Virginia as it starts to develop in Florida. But back home in West Virginia, he has unfairly been compared to West.
"If I try to live up to those expectations, I'll never be as good as anybody wants me to be or as good as I want myself to be," Nelson said. "To
be compared to him is ridiculous."
Nelson made just four of 16 shots in Maui, but he ended the season, averaging 9.2 points, and shooting 42.1 percent overall, 50.9 percent on 3-pointers
in the second half of the season. He has had 64 assists in the last 19 games.
"My whole thing is I don't care if I play two minutes or 40 as long as we win," Nelson said.
Nelson won't start against the Spartans, but he will be brought in quickly to score and rattle Cleaves. Nelson doesn't know him, nor does he
care if Cleaves gets on him during the game.
Nelson the player, not the sky-high comparison to West, finally fits in at Florida and that's all he needed to do as a freshman. That's all anyone should have expected.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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