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Many NBA scouts, executives and analysts believed the Brooklyn Nets would be the biggest movers during Wednesday's NBA draft. Armed with five first-round picks (Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26, 27), general manager Sean Marks had the assets to make a trade up the board. Instead, the Nets stood pat, becoming the first team in draft history to make five first-round selections in a single draft.
“Look, I think this is a great problem to have,” Marks said. “We have notably been short on picks over the course of the last nine years since I've been here, so it's exciting. It's an exciting moment. We've got a great group of scouts, and obviously, the draft was led by [assistant GM] B.J. Johnson. To add a group like this at this particular moment in time for us, you know, why not? Why not add as much talent as we possibly can and throw them out there?”
Brooklyn was the first major surprise of the draft, selecting BYU point guard Egor Demin with the No. 8 pick. The 19-year-old, who marks the franchise's first lottery selection since 2010, boasts incredible size at 6-foot-9 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and is widely considered the best passer in the draft.
The Nets followed Demin by using the No. 19 pick on French point guard Nolan Traore. They nabbed North Carolina wing Drake Powell at No. 22 before selecting Israeli point guard Ben Saraf at No. 26 and Michigan big man Danny Wolf at No. 27.
Nets make NBA Draft history by selecting five players in first round
Brooklyn's decision to select three international point guards left some draft analysts scratching their heads. However, they all share a common theme as high-level passers with an innate feel for the game and good physical measurables. Wolf also fits into that category as well as an uber-talented ball-handler and passer in the frontcourt.
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“I think it goes hand-in-hand with IQ, and how they play the game,” Marks said. “It's 0.5 [second] basketball, you catch and make a decision, you don’t hold the ball… We're trying to find a brand of basketball that not only we think translates to a competitive brand out there and it's going to fit with the Brooklyn community, but it's also where the NBA is going: guys who can play multiple positions, guard multiple positions, and make it hard on the defense.”
Each of Brooklyn's point guard selections notably struggled shooting the ball last season. Demin converted 27.3 percent of his threes at BYU, while Traore hit 32.4 percent in France and Saraf made 29.2 percent in Germany's top professional league. Development in that area will be critical to unlocking their ceilings as scheme-versatile ball-handlers.
Another common theme of the Nets' draft class was targeting players with previous pedigree. Demin was a consensus top-10 pick entering the college season, and many considered Traore a top-five prospect in the class. Powell was a five-star recruit and the No. 2-ranked small forward in the nation coming out of high school last year.
“I think the Brooklyn faithful will be intrigued and excited to see just the brand of basketball these guys play with, the chip on their shoulder they play with. I know there was several of these guys who thought they were probably going a little bit higher in the draft,” Marks said. “Whether it's Ben Saraf who is playing overseas at a very, very high level… Drake Powell may be the most athletic guy in this draft. What untapped potential does he have? So these are all questions for not only myself but the whole group that's worked diligently on this. We're excited to help these guys develop over the course of the next year, two years, three years.”
The Nets are a blank canvas after trading Mikal Bridges and reacquiring their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets last summer. Cam Johnson, Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas and Day'Ron Sharpe are the team's only established rotation players. All face uncertain futures as the team moves forward in its rebuild.
Wednesday's draft was the most anticipated of the Brooklyn era. It yielded a historic class whose development will shape the team's outlook for years to come.
