DALLAS — Brooklyn Nets News
Recently, four of Brooklyn’s five first-round draft picks have been making their mark in the rotation.
In an interesting turn, Nolan Traore, a point guard from France who had been somewhat overlooked, has been recalled from the G League. His recent performances on Long Island caught the attention of the Nets, and he’s set to travel with the team for their upcoming game in Dallas.
“He absolutely deserves it. He’s been playing well, and we’re really pleased with his progress,” said coach Jordi Fernandes. “[His improvement is evident on both ends of the court. He’s quick and athletic. His body will continue to develop too, making him even stronger. His intent has been fantastic, with great ball pressure and overall activity—he’s really grasped our schemes. Just taking it step by step, we can see the progress.”
Traore is noted for his speed and, while he has only seen limited action, logging 36 minutes in four games, he last played on November 18.
Despite the lack of playing time, he managed to average 18.8 points with impressive shooting stats of .489/.431/.774 along with 6.4 assists, albeit with 3.5 turnovers while on Long Island.
“It’s been a while, so I’m just really excited to be back in Brooklyn and ready to contribute,” Traore mentioned. “I believe I’ve worked on all aspects of my game, particularly shooting. Playing live against real competition is just invigorating.”
Shooting was previously seen as a weakness for him, along with issues on defense and leadership, not to mention handling turnovers.
Over his last four games, though, he’s averaged 23.3 points, with a shooting rate of 63.6 percent and racked up 32 assists, which is promising. What’s really encouraging is not just his mechanics but his growing confidence; he had only six turnovers and made 10 out of 14 three-point attempts.
“His speed is remarkable. He’s shooting really well and it’s great to see his confidence. He’s also trying to be more vocal on the court, which is essential for a point guard,” Fernandez pointed out. “Sometimes he struggles with turnovers and the emotional response to them, but I’m okay with that as long as he keeps moving forward. His assist-to-turnover ratio has really improved over the last few games.”
In a recent game against the Westchester Knicks, Traore scored 18 points, dished out eight assists, and notably had no turnovers. It’s impressive to see how he didn’t dwell on his past mistakes and instead focused on his growth.
“This focus allows us not to get stuck on bad plays. We have to learn and move ahead, staying ready for what’s next,” he said. “I like to lead by example. However, if you want to have an impact, you also need to communicate more about what’s happening on the court.”
In another note, Jontay Porter, Michael Porter Jr.’s brother, has recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with his sentencing now pushed back from December 10 to December 18.
