Ben Saraf’s Professional Pedigree Sets Him Apart in Nets Rookie Class

Nets fans are probably tired of hearing the word "rebuild" at this point in the offseason, but some patience will likely be required before this team turns the corner.

While it may take some time before Brooklyn's first round picks can regularly showcase their true potential, rookie guard Ben Saraf's extensive professional experience indicates that he could make an early impact.

Although he was Brooklyn's second-to-last pick of the draft, Saraf immediately stepped in as the team's top passer in the Las Vegas Summer League while averaging 3.7 assists per game.

While speaking to ClutchPoints' Erik Slater at training camp, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez explained how Saraf's time playing overseas has prepared him for the NBA.

"He’s played against grown men in professional leagues for three years… Last year played at a very, very high level in the German league with Ulm and in the Euro Cup," Fernandez said. "He was impressive then at the age of 18. And now being 19… that’s why you can see his composure."

After an impressive performance during the FIBA U18 EuroBasket Championship, Saraf was originally viewed as a lottery pick early in the 2025 NBA Draft process. While averaging 28.1 points, 5.3 assists and leading all players with four steals per game, Saraf was named the tournament's MVP.

Besides his experience in international competition, Saraf has already spent three seasons playing professionally overseas.

During his first professional season in the Israel Basketball National League, Saraf was named the league's Sixth Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year after averaging 14 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. For the 2023-2024 season, he joined Elitzur Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Basketball Premier League, where he was named the league's Rising Star after averaging 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.0 steal per game.

Last season, Saraf helped lead Ratiopharm Ulm to the Basketball Bundesliga Finals after averaging 11.6 points and a team-leading 4.1 assists per game.

As a team that will be looking for a new floor general after the departure of veteran D'Angelo Russell, Saraf has the experience and physical traits needed to step in as a much-needed contributor early in his NBA career. At 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, it wouldn't hurt the rookie point guard to pack on a few more pounds, but his long frame will still give him a size advantage over an average NBA point guard.

If his performance in the Summer League is any indication, Saraf seems to be more comfortable against professional competition than the rest of Brooklyn's rookies. As the rest of the Nets' rookies work to acclimate to life at the NBA level, don't be surprised if Saraf takes over as Brooklyn's top distributor.