Rookie sensation Nolan Traoré's electrifying speed and playmaking ignite the Nets, transforming their season with dazzling assists and tenacious defense.
On a Brooklyn Nets team filled with impressive individual storylines, rookie point guard Nolan Traoré has stolen the show in recent weeks.
Despite Michael Porter Jr.'s All-Star caliber rise, Egor Dëmin's sensational three-point productivity, Day'Ron Sharpe's offensive rebounding tear, it's been Traoré's development that's caught the attention of the greater NBA world for a few reasons.
For one, Brooklyn's No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has developed into a truly awesome play-making talent and an absolute blur both in transition and in the half-court.
Traoré uses his speed as the ultimate advantage creator, taking advantage of his ability to always beat his main defensive assignment off of the dribble and penetrate the paint. More often than not, his rim-running either leads to a tough finish at the rim or a pin-point pass to a shooter in the corner for a wide-open three-point look.
His teammates have benefited greatly from his play-making ability leading to plenty of open shots on the perimeter, especially Dëmin, Ziaire Williams and Noah Clowney.
Traoré's debut campaign in Brooklyn has already seen several signature performances, including a recent 13-point, 13-assist double-double (first double-double in career) in a victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday.
Over his last five games, he's somehow taken things to another level as both a go-to offensive option and a sensational defensive pest, as he's averaged 15.2 points, 7.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds while knocking down 44.4% of his looks from three-point range.
A more consistent finishing touch at the basket and from long distance have seen Traoré's reliability as a main initiator skyrocket, but his defensive potential has taken a leap as well.
It might not show up in the box score, but the way that the 6-foot-3 guard affects the Nets' defense at the basket is astounding. Regardless of matchup, Traoré's relentlessness as a one-on-one defender and verticality when contesting shots at the rim gives Brooklyn's head coach Jordi Fernández a really fun instrument to use at will on the defensive side of the ball.
Thankfully for Nets fans, Traoré's development can be an incredibly fun point of focus throughout the rest of the season as the connection between he and Dëmin in the backcourt continues to grow.
Both rookie guards have proven their respective ability to compete against some of the best that the NBA has to offer at their position, but Traoré's electric play on both ends deserves a bit more focus throughout the rest of what has proven to be an incredibly intriguing 2025-26 campaign.
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