# Nolan Traoré
**Nolan Traoré** (pronounced Trah-OR-ay; born 2006) is a French professional basketball player who plays point guard for the [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooklyn-nets) of the NBA, which drafted him 19th overall in the 2025 [NBA draft](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-draft) out of Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball of France's top division[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1642849/nolan-traore/profile) • [2](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/nets.pdf?embedded=true) • [3](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/nets.pdf?keyword=Game-Notes).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2006, France[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1642849/nolan-traore/profile) |
| Position, size | Point guard, 6'3" (1.91 m), 185 lb (84 kg)[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1642849/nolan-traore/profile) |
| Draft | 2025 NBA draft, first round, 19th pick, Brooklyn Nets[2](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/nets.pdf?embedded=true) |
| Pre-NBA club | Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball (Betclic Élite, France); developed at Pôle France, the INSEP-affiliated training center[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1642849/nolan-traore/profile) • [4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/the-unique-point-guard-meet-the-18-year-old-nolan-traore) |
| Final French season (2024-25) | 11.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists in 22.8 minutes per game across 29 contests[5](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nolan-traore) |
| Honor | FIBA Champions League Best Young Player, 2025[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25212243-2025-nba-draft-scouting-report-brooklyn-nets-no-19-pick-nolan-traore) |
| Rookie NBA averages | 8.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists per game[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1642849/nolan-traore/profile) |
## Development in France
Traoré came through the French high-performance system. He spent three years with Pôle France, the training program attached to INSEP, France's national sports institute, playing for its affiliated side Centre Federal de Basket-Ball in the third tier of French basketball[4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/the-unique-point-guard-meet-the-18-year-old-nolan-traore) • [5](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nolan-traore). He then moved to Saint-Quentin in the top tier, where his debut season was difficult before he became a regular in 2024-25, averaging 11.7 points and 5.1 assists in 22.8 minutes over 29 games[4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/the-unique-point-guard-meet-the-18-year-old-nolan-traore) • [5](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nolan-traore). In [Basketball Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/basketball-champions-league) play that season he averaged 13.4 points and 4.0 assists over nine games[7](https://www.teamfrancebasket.com/player/534-nolan-traore/career).
He represented France at youth level, winning bronze at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022 and playing at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2023[4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/the-unique-point-guard-meet-the-18-year-old-nolan-traore). He also appeared at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit, where his play drew attention from NBA evaluators[8](https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/draft-nolan-traore-nike-hoop-summit).
## Draft and scouting profile
Traoré entered the 2024-25 season projected firmly in the top 10 of the draft but slid amid an inefficient season marked by turnovers, inconsistent defense, and streaky shooting and finishing; ESPN's Jonathan Givony still ranked him the highest international prospect on the board at one point[9](https://everestsherpatravel.com/demo/public/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/07890e28-b8aa-4042-aa53-07ed3754e00f.pdf). Brooklyn selected him 19th overall[2](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/nets.pdf?embedded=true).
**Strengths.** Scouts consistently cited his speed and playmaking. NBA.com's draft profile described him as having elite acceleration, excellent vision for his age, and above-average speed, comparing him to [Scoot Henderson](https://www.edgepedia.org/scoot-henderson) and [John Wall](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-wall)[5](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nolan-traore). [Bleacher Report](https://www.edgepedia.org/bleacher-report)'s report highlighted his playmaking IQ in ball-screen situations and his controlled transition offense, and noted he entered the draft with the highest assist percentage among its projected first-round prospects[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25212243-2025-nba-draft-scouting-report-brooklyn-nets-no-19-pick-nolan-traore).
**Weaknesses.** The main concerns were shooting and defense. He shot 38.5% from the field and 31.3% from three in his final French season, struggled historically with pull-up jumpers, and at 175 pounds was considered vulnerable against explosive NBA ball-handlers[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25212243-2025-nba-draft-scouting-report-brooklyn-nets-no-19-pick-nolan-traore). Bleacher Report's realistic pro comparison was [Chicago Bulls](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bulls) guard [Lonzo Ball](https://www.edgepedia.org/lonzo-ball), citing the passing IQ and the lack of burst inside the arc[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25212243-2025-nba-draft-scouting-report-brooklyn-nets-no-19-pick-nolan-traore).
## NBA career
As a rookie in 2025-26, Traoré split time between the Nets and their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. In 14 G League games he posted 18.4 points per game on 49.2% field-goal shooting and 43.3% three-point shooting, with 6.5 assists in 30.5 minutes per game[2](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/nets.pdf?embedded=true).
His path to minutes tightened after the draft: in June 2026 the Nets selected guard Mikel Brown with the sixth pick, and general manager [Sean Marks](https://www.edgepedia.org/sean-marks) announced that Traoré had undergone right knee surgery and would miss Summer League[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1642849/nolan-traore/profile).
## References
1. [Nolan Traore profile, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/player/1642849/nolan-traore/profile)
2. [Brooklyn Nets Player Notes – Traore, NBA.com game notes PDF](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/nets.pdf?embedded=true)
3. [Brooklyn Nets End of Season Notes, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/nets.pdf?keyword=Game-Notes)
4. [The unique point guard: Meet the 18-year-old Nolan Traore, FIBA](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/the-unique-point-guard-meet-the-18-year-old-nolan-traore)
5. [2025 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Nolan Traoré, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/nolan-traore)
6. [2025 NBA Draft Scouting Report for Brooklyn Nets No. 19 Pick Nolan Traore, Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25212243-2025-nba-draft-scouting-report-brooklyn-nets-no-19-pick-nolan-traore)
7. [Nolan TRAORE career, Team France Basket](https://www.teamfrancebasket.com/player/534-nolan-traore/career)
8. [A Scout's Take: Assessing Nolan Traore's 2024 Nike Hoop Summit Performance, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/draft-nolan-traore-nike-hoop-summit)
9. [Jeremy Woo / Jonathan Givony 2025 mock draft coverage (ESPN syndicated PDF)](https://everestsherpatravel.com/demo/public/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/07890e28-b8aa-4042-aa53-07ed3754e00f.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Current NBA players › Point guards*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license