John Nelson has settled into life as a police officer in West Fork. But before he was the long arm of the law, the 6-foot-11 Nelson was a standout on the basketball court for the Tigers and in college for coach Eddie Sutton.
RELATED ARTICLES
http://www.arkansas…">Pointers ruled the state behind Boster, Sandlin http://www.arkansas…">'Fletch' Lives On As 'The Closer' http://www.arkansas…">Salsbury still winning titles at Shiloh Christian http://www.arkansas…">Former Northwest Arkansas football standout Faires goes ‘full-circle’ with career http://www.arkansas…">Davis recalls title-winning kick http://www.arkansas…">Stephenson remains up to challenges
Nelson moved to West Fork from Chandler, Ariz., prior to his sophomore year in high school and helped the Tigers to a 33-3 record as a senior and a spot in the state semifinals. He averaged 23 points, 12.5 rebounds, three assists and four blocked shots per game in his final high school season. He blocked 12 shots in a game, a school record that still stands today.
He played one season at Oklahoma State for Sutton, serving as the backup for Bryant "Big Country" Reeves as the Cowboys advanced all the way to the Final Four in 1995. But Nelson decided not to return for his sophomore year.
"I was just homesick," Nelson said. "Stillwater was a place I'd never been before. I found out basketball is more like a job in college. It's 24 hours, six days a week. It's a lot to put on an 18-year-old's plate."
Nelson, 41, sat out of basketball for a year, but still attended Northwest Arkansas Community College, then decided to transfer to what was then Southwest Missouri State in Springfield where he played two seasons for former Indiana standout Steve Alford.
There was some thought he would extend his basketball career past college as he got a tryout with the Sacramento Kings, but the NBA lockout in the summer of 1998 came about. The Kings opted to sign veteran Vlade Divac instead. Nelson also had some offers to play professionally in Europe, but that wasn't for him.
"I had friends that went and played over there and made good money," Nelson said. "But I didn't know that I would be happy. I had played basketball for so long it had become not exciting to me."
Instead, Nelson opted for police work, following in the footsteps of his father, Mike. Mike Nelson served in law enforcement for 43 years, including 20 as West Fork police chief. The younger Nelson acknowledged some memorable times playing basketball, despite being happy with his current life.
"I've still got a piece of the backboard that Big Country broke," Nelson said. "He shattered a backboard in practice at the Final Four. I got to travel all over. I got to go dog-sledding in Alaska. It was a lot of fun. As a young man, I wished I would have stuck it out at Oklahoma State because of Eddie Sutton.
"You make your decisions, and that's what you do. I'm satisfied with my life. I'm comfortable in life. I've got three beautiful kids and a wonderful wife and a good career."
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulb
Sports on 07/03/2016