How FIBA Summers Might Affect the Nets’ Future

The Brooklyn Nets made history in the 2025 NBA Draft by becoming the first team ever to select five first-rounders, but the team’s new rookies come with some offseason activity that might already impact next season.

Ben Saraf was recently named to Israel’s preliminary squad for the 2025 EuroBasket tournament. The former Ratiopharm Ulm guard is part of a 20-man list also featuring Portland Trail Blazers wing Deni Avdija and former Indiana Pacers forward TJ Leaf. EuroBasket is set to take place from August 27 until September 14 this year across Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia.

Being included in the preliminary list doesn’t mean that Saraf will play at the weekslong event; however, it evidently implies that he’s in serious contention to make Israel’s final squad. More than that, it shows that Brooklyn’s new playmaker is going to be an important part of his national team’s setup going forward. 

Even if Saraf isn’t available for Israel at this EuroBasket, it seems like a lock that he will suit up for the team in future summers. Whenever this happens, it will undoubtedly play a role in his preseason preparation for the Nets.

His new teammate Danny Wolf could encounter the same situation. Wolf has represented the Israeli national team before, too, averaging 17.7 points and 12 rebounds at the 2023 Under-20 European Championship. The former Michigan forward is a naturalized player, though. FIBA rules only allow for one naturalized player, and the EuroBasket slot went to former Seton Hall and current Hapoel Jerusalem combo guard Khadeen Carrington. 

For an NBA comparison, this situation is similar to what Serge Ibaka or Nikola Mirotić encountered with the Spanish national team. Both were naturalized citizens; as a result, only one could be selected for summertime competitions such as the World Cup or Olympics. The same applies for Wolf and other naturalized players on the Israeli national team.

Nolan Traoré, the Nets’ point guard who is awaiting FIBA clearance to sign his rookie deal, will also have busy NBA offseasons. He will be a fixture of the French national team. The 19-year-old debuted for France's senior team during the 2025 EuroBasket qualifiers. He previously represented his country's youth teams at the under-16 and under-18 levels. 

Egor Dëmin has FIBA experience at the under-16 level with Russia. He posted 12.2 points, four rebounds and two assists per game at the 2021 Under-16 European Challengers. The Russian national team has been banned from FIBA competitions since May 2022. If that ban is lifted in the future, the former BYU point guard would be an integral part of his country’s basketball panorama.