After selecting Egor Demin with the No. 8 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets took a swing on another point guard. Sean Marks and co. took French floor general Nolan Traore with the No. 19 pick.

Traore was widely considered a top-five prospect in the class at this time last year. However, he struggled for large stretches of the season while playing in France's top professional league. The 19-year-old averaged 12.3 points, 4.7 assists and 1.9 rebounds on 41/31/71 shooting splits over 44 appearances with Saint-Quentin in the LNB Elite.

Nets take a chance on Nolan Traore's upside with No. 19 pick in 2025 NBA Draft

St Quentin point guard Nolan Traore in action against Le Mans in a Leaders Cup match.
Franck Faugere/Presse Sports via Imagn Images

Traore has numerous traits that make him an intriguing upside bet for the Nets in the late first round. While nowhere near Demin's size, he has solid measurables for a point guard at 6-foot-3 without shoes with a 6-foot-8 wingspan.

The 19-year-old is one of the fastest north-south players in the draft, consistently turning the corner off ball screens and touching the paint. He has an impressive handle with several change-of-direction moves that allow him to work to his spots.

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Like Demin, Traore boasts high-level playmaking ability. However, unlike Brooklyn's top selection, he consistently creates advantages off the dribble, using his quickness, pace and change of direction to draw help defenders and find his teammates. Defensively, he has the length and lateral agility to bother opposing ball-handlers, although he'll need to work on remaining engaged consistently.

Yet, several drawbacks led to Traore's plummet from a top-five prospect to a late teens selection. Like Demin, his jumper is a concern, as he struggled from the mid-range and converted just 31.4 percent of his threes this season.

While Traore boasts impressive speed, he isn't an exceptional leaper and mostly plays below the rim. He'll have to improve as an outside shooter and be comfortable finishing floaters or mid-range pull-ups to excel as a scorer. Turnovers were also a struggle for him during stretches of the 2023-24 campaign.

Overall, Traore is another upside swing whose outcome will hinge on his development as an outside shooter. The pick will confuse some NBA personnel after the Nets used a top-10 selection on Demin. However, a gamble at No. 19 for a player with Traore's tools and past pedigree is understandable given Brooklyn's rebuilding timeline.

Grade: B+