French guard Nolan Traore, a projected top-20 pick, will enter the 2025 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Thursday.
“I’m excited to take the next step in my career and declare for the NBA draft,” Traore told ESPN. “I still have many goals with my team, to finish the regular season strong, make the playoffs and then have a great draft process. I want to be drafted to the best situation with a pathway to earn playing time right away. I’m ready for that challenge.”
Traore, ESPN’s No. 18-ranked draft prospect, plays for Saint-Quentin in France, which competes in both the domestic Pro A league and the intercontinental Basketball Champions League. The 6-foot-4 point guard averages 11.5 points and 4.9 assists in 23 minutes per game through 35 games.
“It has been a challenging year in France that has made me a much better and tougher player,” Traore said. “The NBA is not going to be easy, and I think that this season will help me a lot in that regard.”
Traore made a name for himself at last year’s Nike Hoop Summit, posting 18 points and four assists in an impressive showing against projected top five picks Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper. He broke the ANGT Finals scoring record at the Euroleague Final Four with an exhilarating 45-point outing in an overtime win over European powerhouse Barcelona.
The 18-year-old’s season in France has been uneven, as he’s struggled with scoring efficiency, turnovers, and the overall physicality of the first division, playing an outsized role ranking No. 2 in the league with a 29% usage rate. No teenager in French history, outside Victor Wembanyama in 2023, has ever carried such a heavy offensive load as Traore.
Nevertheless, his talent has been on full display every time he steps on the court. His ability to get to spots on the floor with outstanding ballhandling, playmaking creativity and difficult shotmaking prowess gives him a high ceiling to grow into long-term.
With the college basketball season over, NBA teams will now focus en masse on international prospects such as Traore. He is in the final games of his team’s regular season, attempting to secure a playoff berth, starting mid-May.
The NBA draft combine will be held May 11-18 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 25-26 in New York.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.