Brooklyn Nets rookie guard Nolan Traore has had a trying rookie season as he had some time to learn in the G League before being thrown into the fire of being an NBA point guard. Brooklyn has been giving playing to all of their rookies with the hope that one of them can show their ability to play point guard and it seems like everyone is noticing Traore’s play.
The NBA announced on Tuesday that Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel is the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February after playing the way he did over the course of the month. However, the NBA also mentioned that Traore was one of the nominees for the honor which shows how well he has been playing since entering Brooklyn’s starting lineup.
In February, Traore averaged 12.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 43.1% from the field and 34.2% from three-point land. In terms of how well Traore has played amongst the other rookies in February, he was 12th in points per game, first in assists per game, and was tied for seventh in steals per game so it makes sense why he was one of the nominees.
Traore, 19, is averaging 8.2 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 39.5% from the floor and 31.3% from deep in 38 games played. Traore entered the starting lineup for head coach Jordi Fernandez’s rotation heading into a 107-103 loss at the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 29 and since then, he’s been averaging 11.9 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 29.8% from behind the three-point line.
Traore, the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is one of the players that Fernandez and general manager Sean Marks are hoping can realize their potential sooner than later. As of this writing, Brooklyn has part of their future invested in Traore and the other four rookies they selected in the 2025 class and it seems that Traore is panning out before our eyes.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Nolan Traore among nominees for February Eastern Conference ROTM
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
