Projected ’25 lottery pick Traore staying in France

One of the top players in the NBA’s 2025 draft class, French guard Nolan Traore, has spurned offers from across the globe to remain in his home country, he told ESPN on Saturday.

Traore, a 6-foot-5, 17-year-old playmaker who matriculated from famed Parisian sports academy INSEP, will sign a two-year contract with Saint-Quentin in the French first division.

“Basketball-wise, it’s the best situation for me,” Traore said. “I can play with a coach that I know, that gave me the confidence to play in the playoffs. I liked the first experience that I had with them. Playing in the FIBA Champions League (BCL) group stage next season will be exciting and was a big positive.”

Traore was being recruited by a host of powerhouse college basketball programs — including Duke, Arkansas, Gonzaga, and Alabama — as well as the Australian NBL and Euroleague and EuroCup teams in France and abroad. He says the comfort of being close to home, along with his preexisting relationship with Saint Quentin was important for him.

“It was cool to have all these programs interested in me,” Traore said. “I don’t take that for granted. It was a reward for all the work I’ve put in. I was happy to have all these options, but the possibility of staying close to my family was also important. They can visit me, and I can go home easily.”

Traore was a projected lottery pick in ESPN’s first 2025 mock draft published in February, but will be ranked in the top-5 in the next update after an explosive spring that featured standout showings in different venues across the globe.

Traore showed his talent against prospects in his age group at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Indianapolis in January, the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland in April and the Euroleague’s Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) Finals in Berlin.

He posted 18 points and 4 assists in an impressive Hoop Summit showing against fellow projected top-5 picks Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, and then broke the ANGT Finals record with an exhilarating 45-point outing in an overtime win over European powerhouse Barcelona in late May.

Traore helped guide Saint-Quentin to the Pro A playoffs in their debut season in the first division, posting 25 points and 7 assists in his final game against Euroleague squad ASVEL. After making a mid-season jump from the third division, he ranked as a top-10 scorer and the second-best passer in France’s Pro A on a per-minute basis competing against men.

Traore’s exploits helped land an invitation as a training partner for the French senior national team camp starting June 18th in preparation for the Paris Olympics.

France has long had a major weakness at the point guard position that was only exacerbated by its federation’s decision to ban experienced floor general Thomas Heurtel from the national team for signing with Russian team Zenit Saint Petersburg, amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Traore will compete against former NBA players Killian Hayes, Theo Maledon and Frank Ntilikina for a spot on the team.

“At first I was very surprised when they called me,” Traore said. “But the goal is to be selected on the team. I want to show the coaching staff what I can do and that I can add something to help them win.”

NBA executives are already highly anticipating the 2025 NBA Draft due to the significant star power among the high school and international ranks that will become eligible to be selected in a year’s time. Traore says that training with and against many of the top prospects was helpful in determining where he stands with his development.

“Next year is going to be a great draft class,” Traore said. “My goal is to win as many games as I can and then get drafted as high as possible.”

Jonathan Givony is an NBA Draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.