Nolan Traore praised Jordi Fernandes after his 28-point performance in the G League

The The Brooklyn Nets are taking on an unprecedented development task five first-round rookie picks this season. While Egor Demin and Drake Powell are enjoying NBA rotation roles early in the year, the rest of the team’s rookies are waiting for their opportunity. For Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, that means learning from the G League’s Long Island Nets.

After struggling in the preseason and his short NBA minutes in the regular season, Traore had a breakthrough on Saturday. Pick number 19 scored 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 from three with nine assists and three turnovers in a 128-113 win over the Greensboro Swarm.

Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez praised Traore after the win in Long Island.

“Very good performance. (I’m) very happy. I texted (Nolan). I watched the game,” Fernandez said on Monday. “We want to play a competitive and winning game of basketball. It starts with habits. I know he saw the ball go in, and those are things you can’t always control. But you can control making the right shots, making the right plays. I think he had a 9-3 assist-to-turnover ratio, which is very good, so all those things are positive (Let’s see, we want those steps, too). And this group is competing at a high level.”

Nolan Traore produced his best performance of the season last night:

28 points
5 jumps
9 assists
3 turns
11/20 FY
6/9 out of three

One of the best outside shots of his professional career.

pic.twitter.com/gvUlm6dOI1

— Eric Slater (@erikslater_) November 23, 2025

Jordi Fernandez on Nolan Traore’s 28-point performance at Long Island on Saturday:

“Very good performance. I’m very happy. I texted him. I watched the game. We want to play a competitive and winning brand of basketball. It starts with habits. I know he saw the ball go in,… pic.twitter.com/FiGhzTo9UO

— Eric Slater (@erikslater_) November 24, 2025

Traore’s tally of 28 points is a welcome sight after a string of disappointing performances.

Nolan Traore impresses with a 28-point performance during the G League

With Demina on the sidelines during training camp, Traore struggled to produce while going up against Saraf in Brooklyn rush hour minutes. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 3.0 turnovers on 41/17/75 shooting over four preseasons.

Traore has seen extended playing time in one NBA game this season. He had four points, one rebound, three assists and two turnovers on 1-of-5 shooting in 21 minutes in a loss to the Houston Rockets on Nov. 27. Brooklyn assigned Traore, Saraf and Wolff to the G League soon after.

After a slow start with Long Island, Traore is starting to find his groove. He averaged 17.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 4.2 turnovers on 43/36/80 shooting in five appearances. With Saraf sidelined with a sprained ankle, the Frenchman will see heavy minutes during the G League team’s upcoming games.

Traore was projected as a top-10 pick in the 2025 draft this time last year after dominating several top prospects at the Nike Hoop Summit. However, after a season in France, he fell to the Nets at the 19th pick. The 19-year-old will battle with Demin and Saraf for top-heavy minutes in the coming seasons as the Nets move forward in their rebuild.