Nolan Traore

PROFILE

FIBA U18 European Championship- August 2024
By Artau Pascual

NBA athlete. Elite lower body: his change of pace and direction, as well as his burst, are unmatched in his age group in Europe. Entered the U18 Championship as one of the main names to follow after his strong end of the season with Saint-Quentin. Heavy pick&roll player. He was more passive at scoring than usual, except in the last game against Lithuania. Going right, he’s able to go downhill and put both feet in the paint at will. His first step is elite, and because of his body control, he can avoid contact or initiate it. His floater is developing in the right way, and he can finish seeking for the top of the board too. Tried to pull it up from mid-range spots more often than usual. Good passer: he can feed the roller at different heights, and his connection with baseline cutters is productive. Great live dribble passer. His spot-up shot has still some ways to go, as his mechanics look a little stiff in the lower body. Inconsistent performance on defense. He has the athletic qualities to be a good ball-handler defender: his hip flexibility, hand activity and recovering speed are great. However, he showed lack of habits and engagement: sometimes he was caught in a high stance, and struggled a lot to guard stronger guards who sought for contact against him. Gave up switches too easily.

ANGT Berlin- May 2024
By Artau Pascual

Strong and athletic. Best lower body in the event: turns the corner easily, controls all three levels of changes -speed, direction and hips- and initiates contact at a great level. Took a lot of advantage of attacking in the early stages of the possession and produced through high screens. Can finish with both hands. He's still not a respectable shooter off the dribble but doesn’t hesitate if he has the space. He can drive if the defense goes under also. Not the most fancy passer, but his halfcourt perception keeps improving and he’s a trustable initiator. On the defensive end, he had a minor role for most of the event, but he meets the requirements to be a good on-ball defender because of his physical attributes.

NBA Academy Games France- January 2024
By Artau Pascual

Above-average athlete for European standards. His decision-making as a halfcourt offense initiator has improved during the season: he looks much more poised in pick&roll actions. He has improved his confidence to shoot the ball off the dribble, although the mechanics are still inconsistent and results are streaky. Excellent playing up-tempo: pushes the pace and decides well in wide spaces. Traore puts a lot of rim pressure and turns his drives into high-percentage shooting situations for his teammates. Solid finisher through contact in the paint. In the game against NBA Academy, he didn’t show a high level of intensity on defense, but he has the body type to develop as a fairly good on-ball defender at the next level.


U18 European Championship- August 2023
By Artau Pascual

Good positional size. Big frame, long extremities and broad shoulders to add muscles. Athletic lower body: good leaper, long strides, high-level burst. Can turn directions with ease and his change of pace is remarkable. On the offensive end, Traore projects as a slasher: he puts a high amount of rim pressure and can get to the rim easily. He has improved his handles: while he could still lower more his center of gravity, they are tighter than in the past. Needs to completely reshape his shooting mechanics. Can initiate plays in halfcourt offense: he’s not careless and thinks quickly. On the defensive end, he’s really good at guarding ball handlers and can switch with wings. Very disruptive at jumping passing lanes. 

ANGT Belgrade- April 2023

Good body frame and size for PG. Solid athlete. Runs the team well. Plays with poise. Understands the game. Plays very maturely for his age. Quick first step. Creator of pick&roll – pass-first mentality. Solid jump shot but better driver. Able to finish through contact with either hand. Solid mid-range game. Decent defender.  

La Roda U12 - June 2018
By Biel Colominas
Traore owns a very promising body, with wide shoulders and outstanding wingspan. Very quick and explosive, covers ground quickly in the open court thanks to his long strides and impressive speed. He can easily get to the rim after beating his man with explosive change of pace, but he misses simple lay ups due to not soft touch. On the other hand, his touch as a shooter is pretty good. He has the potential to make athletic plays on both ends of the floor. His older brother Armel Traore is one of the best 2003-born French prospects.