[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2025 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Nolan Traoré
Frame: 6’4”, 175 lbs
Position: Guard
Team: Saint-Quentin (France)
2025 Draft Age: 19
Stats via RealGM

Offense

Traoré is a high-usage, ball-dominant combo guard whose offensive game thrives in the open court. Despite a slender frame that can look physically overmatched at times, Traoré excels at creating slashing angles. He is an athletic, inside-the-paint scorer who is most comfortable when the game speeds up—he accelerates into space with a tight handle, using an explosive first step and quick direction changes to gain separation. His burst consistently gets him into the paint, and his ability to create in isolation or out of a handoff makes him difficult to contain when he’s playing downhill. He can split ball screens, reject them, or turn the corner with power, often absorbing contact and finishing acrobatically at the rim or displaying a flair for off-the-glass finishes. 

However, he’s not a natural shot-maker off the bounce; his pull-ups are inconsistent and often forced. He has no hesitation shooting it, but the mechanics are still raw, and the overall shooting numbers reflect that. Nonetheless, Traoré is 1.13 points per possession on catch-and-shoot attempts and 1.4 on unguarded ones, indicating signs of a reliable release when set. 

As a playmaker, Traoré is more reactive than proactive. He’s capable of moving the ball and shows flashes of vision, particularly when identifying corner shooters with crosscourt passes. Most of his assists stem from collapsed defenses, where his gravity as a slasher draws defenders and opens up space for kick-outs and lob opportunities. That said, his passing repertoire lacks nuance—many of his deliveries are one-handed or chest passes without much disguise. He tends to default to jump passes under pressure, especially against doubles, which allows him to escape in the French league, but might haunt him at the highest level. 

Efficiency remains a swing factor. So far, Traoré’s scoring outbursts alternate with droughts. Despite a record 45-point performance in the ANGT Finals last year and some impressive flashes in the French league and BCL, Traoré remains an inconsistent scorer from the perimeter. Shot quality is often low, and his decision-making can be rushed. He rarely plays extended stretches without being subbed out, and his impact fluctuates based on rhythm and momentum. Nonetheless, his slashing, body control, and ability to get two feet in the paint are consistently evident. If the jumper comes around, the scoring ceiling is considerable.

Defense

Defensively, Traoré is far behind what he was projected to be while playing at the youth level. He has decent positional size and quick hands, but low physical engagement. Too often, he’s unassertive defending drives—he shades the ball but avoids real contact, often giving up easy baskets. On switches, he tends to lose his man, and when trailing over screens, he either dies on contact or goes under without much urgency. His screen navigation lacks strength and technique, and he appears overwhelmed by the physicality of pro-level players.

Closeouts are another area of concern. Traoré routinely arrives late and contests weakly. In space, he’s out of position more often than not, and his general defensive awareness is lacking. Multiple possessions each game see him caught behind a screen, trailing the action, or reacting a second too late to rotations.

These lapses have real consequences—Traoré is often benched late in games for more defensively reliable teammates. While the physical tools offer hope, the discipline and processing need to catch up for him to become a neutral or positive defender at the next level. He also needs to gain weight to avoid being pushed around.

Looking Ahead

Traoré’s flashes of offensive brilliance—especially at the junior level—have made him a lottery pick entering the season. However, his inconsistent performance and slow development have kept him falling down the boards since winter. Traoré is a dynamic athlete and a capable ball-handler who can create paint touches and highlights, but he’s still more reliant on natural talent than refined skill. The shot remains his primary swing skill, and his defensive feel and effort are currently liabilities.

Still, you can’t teach the kind of burst and slashing gravity Traoré brings to the floor. He’s a quick-twitch, aggressive combo guard, capable of generating offense without a play being called. The next step is evolving into a two-way contributor, refining his reads, and proving he can impact winning. 

In some respects, Traoré can be called a European version of Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears, a potent offensive player with many question marks about how his game translates to the NBA. He could land near the end of the lottery, or drop late out of the first round entirely like Jaden Hardy, who went 37th in 22 to the Dallas Mavericks (via trade from the Sacramento Kings).