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With a surplus of first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Nets might end up stealing a player late in the first round that they were once projected to take in the top 10.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, the Nets are now projected to take Nolan Traore with the 26th pick of the NBA Draft.
Based on Wasserman’s mock draft, Traore would be the second French player that the Nets drafted in the first round.
Last season, Traore was named the FIBA Champions League Best Young Player after averaging 11.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists while playing 22.8 minutes per game while playing for Saint-Quentin of the LNB Elite.
In a pre-draft scouting report, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor compared Traore to a former NBA All-Star and All-Defensive team player. Nets on SI evaluates the comparison and takes a look at how Traore would fit with the Nets.
Nolan Traore/Dejounte Murray Comparison
Although his most recent season was cut short due to a season-ending Achilles tear, Murray has established himself as one of the league’s most reliable two-way players over the past five years.
During the 2021-2022 season, he showcased his value as a perimeter defender by leading the league with two steals per game. Murray has been known for his elite speed, both straight-line and lateral, and according to O’Connor, Traore is the fastest prospect available.
“He’s the fastest player in this draft class with acceleration like a Bugatti. He’s able to go coast-to-coast with a flash, and with NBA spacing he could thrive getting downhill in the pick-and-roll to draw defenses and activate his playmaking,” O’Connor said.
In his breakout 2021-2022 season, Murray proved his playmaking abilities by becoming a 20-point-per-game scorer while also averaging a career-high 9.2 assists. Similarly, Traore blends his athleticism with a high basketball IQ to create opportunities for his teammates.
“He’s at his best when he’s attacking the basket to score acrobatically,” O’Connor said. “He makes some beautiful passes, driving into the paint then casually flipping a bullseye to the corner, or splitting a pick-and-roll, drawing a help defender, and then kicking it out to a shooter on the wing. He clearly knows how to use his speed to manipulate defenders.”
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