Subscribe
Follow Us
The Brooklyn Nets came away from this summer with a new roster, capped off by the five first round selections they made in the 2025 NBA Draft. Ben Saraf, the 26th pick in the Draft, used NBA Summer League to prepare for the NBA game.
Saraf, who just turned 19 years of age in April, still has a ways to go before he's ready after coming over from Europe.
Ben Saraf acclimating to NBA game and what Nets want from him
Ben Saraf played in three of Brooklyn's five games in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, averaging 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.0 steal per game. It wasn't an overly impressive or disappointing Summer League, but one that showed areas where growth will be necessary.
Saraf spoke exclusively with ClutchPoints — in Hebrew and translated — at NBA Summer league about the acclimation process to the NBA.
“It's different, for sure,” Ben Saraf explained. “It takes a little time to get used to it, but I'll do it. That's why I have these games, you know, to go through these practices. I'll get through it. I'm sure.”
Saraf's best game was likely his final one of Summer League, where he finished with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a blocked shot in a loss against the New York Knicks.
The biggest knock on Saraf coming out of Las Vegas Summer League, if one had to be picked, was his willingness to shoot the three-ball. In an NBA game that's heavily reliant on three-point shooting, Ben Saraf attempted just four three-pointers in 68 minutes and 37 seconds of playing time.
That's not nearly enough for a guard on the NBA level, especially one who is fully capable of shooting the ball. Nets' Summer League head coach Steve Hetzel told members of the media in Summer League that Saraf and fellow guard Nolan Traore both needed to ramp up the number of three-pointers attempted in what will be a pace and space type of offense for Brooklyn.
Ben Saraf is so smooth with the basketball pic.twitter.com/JmRk94zeuA
— Brooklyn Netcast (@BrooklynNetcast) July 14, 2025
“Yeah, I need to get used to it,” Saraf told ClutchPoints. “If that's what they want, that's what we'll do.”
Saraf, who played professionally with Ratiopharm Ulm in the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany, played in 47 regular season games for Ulm, including 13 playoff appearances and all five games of the league final against Bayern Munich.
After having a chance to play in the NBA's Summer League, Saraf says not much has surprised him thus far.
“No, not that much,” Saraf added. “To be honest with you, the pace and the athleticism are on different levels than what I've been used to up until now. But, you know, I'm going to grow, I'm getting better, I'm getting stronger, and I'm getting used to it.
“[The spacing] is easier. You know, the spacing, the rules, with the three seconds in the painted area. So it's definitely good for the players.”
The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of a rebuild, especially after trading away a highly-coveted player in Cam Johnson. Ben Saraf is expected to play a big role as the Nets dive fully into their youth movement and see what they have in their newer players.
