Nets' Jordi Fernandez explains why Nolan Traore was key in Wizards win

NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets rookie guard Nolan Traore began the 2025-26 NBA season working with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn's G League affiliate, as he learned how to play point guard at the next level. Brooklyn has seen Traore grow immensely since he started seeing regular rotation towards the end of December and at this point, he's showing how much he has learned this year. "I think he did a great job.

Obviously, [Traore's] a big reason why we won this game, especially towards the end. Even though at times it gets a little rocky with the amount of games and trials and so forth," Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said of Traore following Sunday's 121-115 win over the Washington Wizards . Traore is one of the rookies that is seeing more playing time towards the end of this season, but Fernandez is also applauding his improvements.

"Which is part of the NBA, and he's a rookie [so] he's always trying to do the right thing. I've always been pleased with his attitude, his work, and trying to do the right things," Fernandez continued. "Today, he was able to close the game.

Obviously, you cannot control always if you're going to make shots, but he made the right play over and over. At the end of the day, [he's a] big reason why we got the win. " Traore, 19 , finished Sunday's game with a team-high 23 points and seven assists to just three turnovers as he was able to get whatever he wanted against a Wizards team missing much of its normal rotation.