Retired - Retired after 2015 season
- Birthdate: 07/18/1980
- Drafted (NBA): Undrafted, 2005
- Pre-draft team: Utah State
- Country: USA/Azerbaijan
- Hand: Right
- Agent: -
| Date | League | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| 30th August, 2005 | NBA | Signed an unguaranteed two year minimum salary contract with Utah. |
| 27th October, 2005 | NBA | Waived by Utah. |
| 31st October, 2005 | Germany | Signed for the remainder of the season with Brose Baskets Bamberg. |
| 31st July, 2006 | Italy | Signed a one year contract with Benetton Treviso. |
| 7th July, 2007 | Italy | Signed a one year contract with Upim Bologna. |
| 20th July, 2008 | Greece | Signed a one year contract with Aris Thessaloniki. |
| 25th September, 2009 | NBA | Signed an unguaranteed one year minimum salary contract with Utah. |
| 21st October, 2009 | NBA | Waived by Utah. |
| 2nd December, 2009 | Greece | Signed for the remainder of the season with Peristeri. |
| 27th July, 2010 | Spain | Signed a one year contract with Gran Canaria. |
| 14th July, 2011 | Spain | Re-signed by Gran Canaria to a one year contract. |
| 6th July, 2012 | Spain | Re-signed by Gran Canaria to a two year contract. Included player option for 2013/14. |
| 10th July, 2013 | Spain | Declined 2013/14 player option. |
| 2nd September, 2013 | Italy | Signed a one year contract with Siena. |
| 13th November, 2014 | Italy | Signed for the remainder of the season with Reyer Venezia. |
| 1998 - 2005 | Utah State (NCAA) |
| July 2005 | Utah Jazz (Summer League) |
| August 2005 - October 2005 | Utah Jazz (NBA) |
| October 2005 - June 2006 | Bamberg (Germany) |
| July 2006 | Utah Jazz (Summer League) |
| July 2006 - June 2007 | Treviso (Italy) |
| July 2007 - June 2008 | Upim Bologna (Italy) |
| July 2008 - June 2009 | Aris Thessaloniki (Greece) |
| September 2009 - October 2009 | Utah Jazz (NBA) |
| December 2009 - June 2010 | Peristeri (Greece) |
| July 2010 - July 2013 | Gran Canaria (Spain) |
| September 2013 - June 2014 | Siena (Italy) |
| November 2014 - June 2015 | Reyer Venezia (Italy) |
June 16, 2010
One of the things we like to do here is monitor the ever-changing nationalities of players. [See the full list of player nationalities.] Acquiring various passports can be highly useful for a professional basketball player, as they can be used to bypass various regulations regarding numbers of imports that most leagues enforce upon their teams. This often leads to the always amusing sight of various players (often American) scoring passports from nations they have no connection with, purely because they can buy them. Only a fortnight ago, Taurean Green and Quinton Hosley did exactly the same thing.
Another addition can now be made to that list. Former Utah State forward and two time Jazz signee Spencer Nelson has broken new ground, acquiring not one of the standard Macedonian or Georgian passports, but an Azerbaijani one. This makes him the only Azerbaijani basketball player you've ever heard of. And unless you're Polish and incredibly up to date on your PLK knowledge - Turow just signed an Azerbaijani centre called Alex Rindin - then he's also the Azerbaijani player you've ever going to hear of.
Nelson took seven years to use up his four years of academic eligibility at Utah State. This is partly because he tore his knee up in his sophomore season and took a medical redshirt, but also because Nelson took two years out to go on a Mormon mission. Nelson is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is presumably now the only such member to also be an Azerbaijani passport holder.
You couldn't make it up. Well, you could, but you don't have to.
April 11, 2010
- Spencer Nelson
Utah State graduate Nelson got a second training camp contract from the Utah Jazz this summer, 4 years after the first one. After touring Europe with the team, and getting the rare but special opportunity to pass within 100 feet of me, the Jazz released Nelson, and he spent six weeks on the sidelines. A move to Belgium was rumoured, but never came off, and Nelson finally emerged in Greece to play for A1 team Peristeri. However, it's not been a good season. Nelson has suffered mightily from inconsistent minutes, inconsistent play, and a hell of a lot of fouls. He has averaged 17.9 minutes, 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.8 fouls per game, scoring efficiently from inside and out, but struggling badly with his fouls. Nelson is no stranger to the A1 league, for he played there last year with Aris and did pretty well. So maybe he's hurt.