NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates 
The bright lights of Media Day have been dimmed. Now, as Noah Clowney said Monday, it’s all about five words: “Let the best man win.” With so much unsettled, not surprising on a team that’s still the league’s youngest, the Brooklyn Nets had their first practice Tuesday at HSS Training Center. We’re only three weeks before opening night at Barclays Center and just a week before preseason starts in Charlotte on October 6.
An eye test around the practice court revealed a number of things about the 20 players assembled in front of the Great Window, but none more than the physical appearance of some key younger players. We got somewhat of a look at their newly honed physiques Monday, but they were seated, stationery, not moving about the court.
Advertisement
As has been noted, no player has caught more attention than Nolan Traore, still the youngest player on the team, nearly two months younger than rookie Mikel Brown Jr. According the rosters distributed to the media Monday, he’s added an inch of height and 10 or so pounds of weight, clearly a lot of it muscle.
“He’s a year older, and maturity is important — presence, confidence, all that. And you can see him with his sleeveless, and how much [bigger he is],” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said. “It’s great. He’s put the work in. You watch him move around and play. It’s a second-year player, now he knows a little bit more about what is the NBA, and I’m excited to watch him play.”
At 6’4″ in bare feet, 6’5″ in sneakers, and 190 pounds, along with a 6’8″ wingspan, Traore more looks the part of an NBA point guard, not the waif we saw on the court last season. And although he missed Summer League following an ankle scope, he says he’s healthy and ready to go now.
“My knee is completely fine now, so there’s no concern,” Traore told reporters. “For me, [the offseason] was more the physical aspect. Obviously the shooting, too. I worked a lot on it and I feel good now. Changed a few things, too.
Advertisement
“Offseason was a lot of [time in the] gym. That was the main thing. Focusing on just getting better as a player, watching clips from the playoffs or watching reads. Working…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/practice-brings-reality-competition-spots-143902697.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-09-30 14:39:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
