Nolan Traoré, a former point guard from Saint-Quentin, France, returned to the basketball court during Brooklyn's first exhibition game of the season. After spending the summer working on his physical conditioning, Traoré has noticeably built muscle, often seen wearing sleeveless shirts and showing visible biceps. As he prepares for his second NBA season with the Brooklyn Nets, Traoré made an impact in 10 minutes of play, scoring 10 points on 3-4 shooting, along with 2 rebounds and 1 steal. His performance contributed to the team's overall positive game score, with Brooklyn recording a +15 in the contest. On the other side of the court, the French players on the Charlotte Hornets had a more challenging evening. Tidjane Salaün, entering his third season in the NBA, took a cautious approach in his preseason debut, scoring 6 points on 2-7 shooting, while recording 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 3 turnovers in 28 minutes. Despite being the team's longest-playing player of the night, Salaün's performance resulted in the worst team score, with a -24 rating. His teammate, Moussa Diabaté, who started the game, also struggled with the ball, finishing with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals, 1 assist, and 4 turnovers in 20 minutes. Both Traoré and the Hornets' French players are part of the NBA's growing presence of European talent. Traoré's improved physicality and performance suggest he may be ready to take on a larger role with the Nets this season. Meanwhile, Salaün and Diabaté will need to address their turnovers and overall efficiency in order to contribute more effectively as the regular season approaches. The exhibition game provided a glimpse into how players are adjusting to the demands of the NBA. For Traoré, it was a positive start, while the Hornets' French players faced challenges that will need to be corrected in the coming weeks. As the preseason continues, these performances will be key indicators of how each player is progressing toward the regular season.