Who Am I?
I’m Can Peker Pekcan. I’m 21 years old and addicted to basketball. I have been a writer on several sites and currently appear in videos about Türkiye’s youth league on the Stop Press Medya YouTube channel. I share articles on my Twitter and Medium accounts. I want to be professional scout.
You can reach me on Twitter (X) or LinkedIn.
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I watched live 4 NBA prospect this season: Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, Noa Essengue, Hugo Gonzalez. I took some notes about their warm-up’s and their game performance. In this article, I shared my all notes on 4 prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft.
NOLAN TRAORE
Warm-up
I went to the Galatasaray – Saint Quentin game 1.5 hours early to watch 2025 NBA Draft prospect Nolan Traore’s warm-up. I took some notes on his shooting warm-up.
- His shooting numbers from each area are different, he doesn’t have a regular practice routine. I think it is interesting, and you might be surprised too if you look at his shot attempt numbers.
- He tried mid-range shots with dribble in general.
- I’m not a fan of his shooting mechanics, but not bad.
I counted his shooting numbers:
Mid-range
Left corner: 11/18 (%61)
Left 45: 7/12 (%58)
Center: 5/5 (%100)
Right 45: 4/11 (%36)
Right corner: 5/7 (%71)
TOTAL: 32/53 (%60)
3PT
Left corner: 9/19 (%47)
Left 45: 4/8 (%50)
Center: 6/10 (%60)
Right 45: 4/7 (%57)
Right corner: 16/35 (%46)
TOTAL: 39/79 (%49)
Sometimes he hits too many shots in a row, sometimes he misses too many shots in a row. In general, his shot is inconsistent.
GAME NOTES
GALATASARAY VS. SAINT QUENTIN (07.01.2025)
Stats: 22:51 MIN | 10 PTS | 5/10 2PT | 0/2 3PT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 2 TO | 7 EFF | -21
Game score: Galatasaray 84 – 63 Saint-Quentin
I did not like Traore’s performance in this game, but the whole Saint Quentin team had a bad night.
In the first half, he scored 4 PTS with two nice drives. One of them despite the Ebuka Izundu’s block threat. Looks like his drives are the best part of his game. Had a hard time especially defending the switch. Did not go to defend the Galatasaray’s big men when his teammate was in a mismatch. His shots were not falling either.
He started the second half with a good pick&roll assist. Continued to show his drives to the rim, scoring 4 of his 10 PTS in a transition after stealing the ball.
GALATASARAY VS. SAINT QUENTIN (21.01.2025)
Stats: 25:06 MIN | 20 PTS | 6/8 2PT | 1/2 3PT | 5/6 FT | 6 REB | 4 AST | 3 TO | 23 EFF | -7
Game score: Galatasaray 75 – 73 Saint Quentin
Nolan Traore had a great game in the win or go home game in the Basketball Champions League.
First half was a disaster for both Traore and Saint Quentin. Despite the first 1 minute of 2Q, he did not do well on the court and scored just 2 PTS in 10:42 MIN. He also has 2 TO and when he is on the court, Saint Quentin is -15. I’m thinking: “Another bad game for Traore and I can’t see the player I saw last year. I did not like his body language, he did not take responsibility. A disappointing performance.”
In the second half, everything changed. I was really impressed with his performance and mentality in the second half. Saint Quentin started the second half 14 points behind. In the first 4.5 MIN he scored 10 PTS. Started with a 3PT, 2/2 FT and 2 drives in transition (one of them 2+1) with his activity on the rebound. Changed the momentum of the game. Started the 4Q really good as well with an alley-oop assist in a nice side Spain P&R offense. Goes to the rim with determination throughout the second half. Scored 19 PTS with 7/7 FG to left 4.43 in the game. In the clutch time, he take responsibility which is an important experience for an 18-year-old player. Missed one three-pointer and two drives in the last 2.45. One of them was the last position. Even though he missed it, it was the right decision for him.
Saint Quentin’s BCL journey ended with this game. In my 2-game adventure of watching Nolan Traore live, I was particularly pleased with the second half performance of the last game.
PRESS CONFERENCE
I talked with Saint Quentin’s head coach Julien Mahé after the game against Galatasaray.
Q: Despite the loss, you made a great comeback. I want to ask you about Nolan Traore’s performance. I really like him as a prospect and what do you think about him?
Julien Mahé: “Yes, I think he did very well tonight. Low start, honestly, low start. He was not completely in the game at the beginning. Too slow when he catched the ball, a little bit late defensively. But I love the way he bounced back during the game. He found the big man, made some good choices. He was able to make the shot close to the rim. And defensively, he was also very good. He’s young, he’s very young. He’s 18 years old. And at 18 years old, you have so much responsibility in a team like us to be on guard with responsibility. You get the ball in your hands. It’s not easy to learn that. And I think he learned from what happened during the first round against a very good team like Karşıyaka, the former team of Karşıyaka and Tenerife. And also from the Game 1, Game 2 and Game 3, he played very well. And now we’re going to have other schedule and maybe also it’s going to help us to have more practices to prepare the game. So I am pretty optimistic about what he can do during this second half of the season.”
BEN SARAF
Warm-up
I went to the Bahçeşehir – ratiopharm Ulm game 2 hours early to watch 2025 NBA Draft prospect Ben Saraf warm-up. I think it was really impressive.
Some notes on his warm-up:
- He starts with a low dribble after stretching. And then he continues with a high dribble.
- Working on his touch around the basket with his left hand.
- Continues his training by first trying a pull-up mid-range jumper and then a 3PT from the same area. I would say he tries more mid-range jumpers than threes.
- Does several dribbles before trying the pull-up jumper.
- After shooting, he finishes his warm-up with a ball-handling drill. Works on dribbling with both hands.
Video:
GAME NOTES
BEŞİKTAŞ – RATIOPHARM ULM (14.10.2024)
Stats: 29 MIN | 16 PTS | 2/6 2PT | 2/4 3PT | 6/6 FT | 5 AST | 2 REB | 3 STL | 1 TO | 20 EFF
Game score: Beşiktaş 107 – 74 Ulm
Ben Saraf showed his shooting and playmaking ability. Good on FT. Finished the game with 3 STL, I think his defense is underrated. Good defensive instincts and uses his wingspan well.
I did not take too much note because the game is really blow-out and it was generally like a practice game.
BAHÇEŞEHİR – RATIOPHARM ULM (28.01.2025)
Stats: 22 MIN | 9 PTS | 4/8 2PT | 0/2 3PT | 1/2 FT | 3 AST | 1 STL | 3 TO | 4 EFF | -6
Game score: Bahçeşehir 85 – 81 Ulm
Ben Saraf had a poor start to the game. Missed pull-up jumper and blocked in the layup. Despite his assist in transition, first 17 MIN didn’t go well for him. But really impressed in the last 3 MIN of the second quarter. Showed his pull-up mid-range jumper, quick first step, hesitation moves and explosiveness at the rim. His handles look so good.
Second half, showing good things defensively. I think he’s an underrated defender in general. Reads the game well and can steal the ball with his good wingspan for a guard. Only scored 2 PTS (easy layup in transition), but showed his court vision on the offensive end.
In the last minute, he missed a pull-up mid-range. I like that he took the responsibility in the one of the most crucial games in the season. But he made a really easy turnover in the most important offensive possession of the game.
Postgame interview with Ben Saraf
You were the MVP of the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket. What are your thoughts about the tournament?
It was a great tournament for me. As a team we played really well.
You had a really good season, I think. What do you think about the season so far?
So far it’s good. Always I think I can do better, but it’s pretty good so far.
What are the skills that you think make a difference in your game?
My speed, my ball handling, and my shot.
Which skills do you want to improve in your game?
My three-point shot.
Lastly, who is your idol?
Vasilije Micic
NOA ESSENGUE
Warm-up
I went to the Bahçeşehir – ratiopharm Ulm game 2 hours early to watch 2025 NBA Draft prospect Noa Essengue’s warm-up.
Some notes on his warm-up:
- He starts with a short mid-range in the left corner after stretching.
- Works on his mid-range from all areas and FTs.
- Starts his 3PT practice in right corner. Takes 3PTs from all areas. Ulm’s assistant coach helps him with close passes. After finishing each zone, he tried some more shots from the center.
- After shooting, he finishes his warm-up with a ball handling drill. Works on between the legs dribbling with both hands.
Video:
GAME NOTES
BEŞİKTAŞ – RATIOPHARM ULM (14.10.2024)
Stats: 24:43 MIN | 19 PTS | 5/6 2PT | 9/12 FT | 5 REB | 2 TO | 20 EFF
Game Score: Beşiktaş 107 – 74 Ulm
Noa Essengue is effective in paint and good from the FT. His FT consistency will be important. Had a good percentage today. Finished the game with a nice dunk.
I did not took too much note because the game is really blow-out and it was generally like a practice game.
BAHÇEŞEHİR – RATIOPHARM ULM (28.01.2025)
Stats: 20:32 MIN | 13 PTS | 4/4 2PT | 1/1 3PT | 2/2 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL | 4 TO | 17 EFF | -4
Game score: Bahçeşehir 85 – 81 Ulm
Noa Essengue started well to the game with post-up assist and post-up fadeaway jumper. In the first half, showed that he can defend multiple positions, defending well Jalen Smith in mismatch. Can play with the ball after the DREB. Always a defensive threat with his active hands and wingspan. His only poor performance in the first half were simple turnovers.
In the second half, Essengue continued to his good play despite the foul trouble that limited his minutes. He hit the three in transition without hesitation in the clutch, forcing Bahçeşehir to call a timeout. He also showed his defensive instincts, stealing the ball and finishing with a dunk in the clutch time.
Despite the tough loss, really good game from Essengue.
Postgame interview with Noa Essengue
You had a really good season so far. What do you think about the season?
I think we’re just still fighting for playoff tickets, so yeah, we just need to play well together.
Do you follow NBA Mock Draft and if you follow them, what are your thoughts about?
No, I’m not looking, I’m just focused on the season right now.
What are the skills that you think make a difference in your game and which skills do you want to improve in your game?
My teammates try to find me easily, so yeah, I can improve always my skill on shooting. But I can drive, I can shoot, I can do everything.
Lastly, who are your favorite player?
I can say LeBron James or Paul George.
HUGO GONZALEZ
Warm-up
I went to the Anadolu Efes – Real Madrid and Fenerbahçe Beko – Real Madrid games 2 hours early to watch 2025 NBA Draft prospect Hugo Gonzalez’s warm-up.
Some notes on his warm-up:
- He entered the court with 73 minutes left in the game and streched for 10 minutes.
- Starts his shooting warm-up with a one-handed shot from the center. After 3 shots, he takes a step back and continues. Continues to work in the same way from the center, first without a jump and then with a jump shot.
- He starts his 3PT practice from the left corner. When he reaches both corners, he drives and throws up an accurate floater and starts shooting.
- Finished practice with a long-range 3PT after a one-handed dunk.
He was very good from the center 3PT in the Anadolu Efes warm-up. Made 11 threes in a row.
I counted his 3PT shooting numbers before the Fenerbahçe Beko game (videos from Anadolu Efes game, I counted his shooting numbers in the Fenerbahçe Beko game only).
Left corner: 5/11 (%45)
Left 45: 7/12 (%58)
Center: 8/11 (%73)
Right 45: 7/12 (%58)
Right corner: 9/14 (%64)
TOTAL: 36/60 (%60)
Video:
GAME NOTES
ANADOLU EFES – REAL MADRID (04.02.2025)
Stats: 20:16 MIN | 11 PTS | 2/2 2PT | 2/4 3PT | 1/3 FT | 3 REB | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 9 EFF | +5 (best of the team)
Game score: Anadolu Efes 79 – 73 Real Madrid
√ He is so active both on the court and off the court. Always in communication with his teammates. Reads the Anadolu Efes offense’s well. Has a strong defensive instincts. For example, in the last quarter, while sitting on the bench, he followed the offensive sets of Anadolu Efes head coach Luca Banchi and told them to the assistant coaches and his teammates on the court. He is also the first to congratulate his teammates on the court during a timeout. These may be small details in basketball, but I think they are very important. I love his energy.
√ He always fought defensively. Yes, sometimes he made rookie mistakes, but it was important that he kept fighting. Always showed physicality but struggled in the pick&roll offense, he can’t avoid screens.
√ Offensively he has a limited role. Usually waits in the corners at the three-point line. Has shown that he can drive well with the ball in his hands. Gets into offensive rebound battles in the paint.
He had a very good game with his 3PT buzzer beater of the second quarter, his fearless attacks to the rim and his position tracking.
FENERBAHÇE BEKO – REAL MADRID (06.02.2025)
Stats: 16:24 MIN | 2 PTS | 1/4 2PT | 0/1 3PT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 1 TO | -2 EFF | -6
Game score: Fenerbahçe Beko 78 – 67 Real Madrid
Not a good game for Gonzalez. Despite his backdoor cut and finishes with a strong dunk in the offense, he was ineffective on both ends.
On defense, he struggled against Fenerbahçe’s forward. He couldn’t stop them on post-up offense. He didn’t stop fighting, but we saw that he has weaknesses that he needs to improve.
His emotions are on a very high level. It shows his passion for the game, but sometimes it can affect his performance negatively.
PRESS CONFERENCE
I talked with Real Madrid head coach Chus Mateo after the Anadolu Efes – Real Madrid game.
Q: Coach I want to ask you about Hugo Gonzalez. He played his best minutes and his best game in the EuroLeague. What do you think about him and his future?
Chus Mateo: “I think he is good prospect for us. I think he is play good basketball, but most important for me is to talk about the team and performance. He has helped the team all the year, not only today, but he scored some more points and he did his best performance. For me, he is one more of my players and he is helping from beginning of the season.”
MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT HIM
Nolan Traore: Drives, BBIQ, playmaking, court vision.
Noa Essengue: His defense, athleticism, rebounds.
Ben Saraf: Handles, court vision, mid-range pull-up, BBIQ.
Hugo Gonzalez: BBIQ, great teammate, athleticism, energy, drives.
MY QUESTIONS ABOUT HIM
Nolan Traore: Shooting, shooting decisions, mental issues (body language and not being active on the bench).
Noa Essengue: Shooting, ball handling.
Ben Saraf: 3PT shooting, easy turnovers.
Hugo Gonzalez: His offensive role in the team, shooting consistency.
2025 NBA DRAFT
I think they are all projected 1st round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. If Hugo Gonzalez had played in the NCAA and shown his offense, I would definitely have mentioned him higher. He is trying to have a role when it is hard to even get minutes in a EuroLeague championship contenter like Real Madrid. The other three names are on very good teams in terms of minutes and responsibility. It is very difficult to comment on this class as it is very stacked, but I think we might see 2 names in the lottery.
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