Nolan Traore Shines in FIBA Basketball Champions League, but Concerns Remain

Nolan Traore was a top-10 lock in pre-season mock drafts. His strong play to end the season for Saint-Quentin, borderline MVP run at the Adidas Next Generation Finals in Berlin, and dominance at the U18 European Championships had many dreaming of the highest of ceilings for an explosive, 6-foot-5, pick-and-roll proficient point guard. But this season has not lived up to those expectations. 

Traore is averaging 11.5 points, 2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists to 2.3 turnovers per game on 37/28/71 shooting splits across 113 three-point attempts and 88 free throws. Those efficiency numbers have been a concern for the majority of the season but did recently get a boost with back-to-back strong performances against Galatasaray in FIBA Basketball Champions League play. Traore averaged 19 points, five assists, two turnovers, and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from the field. 

What stood out in these two games was how Traore picked his spots. He capitalized on transition opportunities, using the extra runway to blow by and around any defenders who got in his way. He was patient in the halfcourt, didn’t force the issue, and even knocked down a three off an inbounds play.

Over the course of the season, Traore has been appreciably better in transition. He’s shooting 65 percent on two-point field goals in transition, compared to roughly 40 percent on two-point field goal attempts in isolation and pick-and-roll sets per Synergy Sports. It’s worth noting that a disparity of this magnitude is not uncommon among other high-usage guards in Europe, but that doesn’t stop it from raising eyebrows. Traore still struggles to fully utilize his athletic advantages in halfcourt sets. This is a skill he should learn over time but doesn’t currently have. 

Traore has been mostly average in the pick-and-roll this season, per Synergy Sports. But his volume - 129 possessions per Synergy Sports - puts him second in France’s LNB Pro A, ahead of the likes of Mike James, Theo Maledon, and others who can distribute the workload more evenly to their teammates. But one concern that stands out watching Traore in the pick-and-roll is the lack of range in his passing game out of it. He currently makes only two reads regularly: the skip for wing threes and the delayed lob for a dunk. 

Traore does not seem capable or confident in his ability to execute pocket passes, shovel passes in traffic, or make accurate reads on the run, generally when he comes off the screen. He is timid and cautious, which contributes to his efficiency struggles overall. 

An under-discussed positive in Traore’s game, though, is his defense. At 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, Traore is trusted to switch onto wings, bigs, and just about anybody by Saint-Quentin. He holds his own against bigger, stronger, and more experienced players with relative ease. On the perimeter, he slides his feet and contests well and is active on the defensive glass. He rarely misses a defensive rotation and provides great support in help. Traore’s steal numbers should perhaps be a smidge higher, given the anticipation he has displayed on that end, but his caution is consistent with his offensive approach as well. 

Traore set remarkably high expectations with the run he had to end last season. He was never going to meet those expectations this season. If he did, he’d be competing for the number one spot. Instead, his increased professional repetitions have exposed some of the flaws in his game. Overall, that’s a good thing, and there’s no reason to believe he can’t improve on all of these with time. Traore has shown this season that even though the raw talent is high, he is still more of a project than he appeared to be less than a year ago. For any team that has time for him to develop, he should be seen as a perfect bet to take.