SCOUT: Inside Draft Night & Introducing the Brooklyn Nets’ Rookies

Yeah. Where there es and flows throughout the season in terms of like his competitiveness, his, you know, his focus, things like that. I think there’s a little bit of relentlessness to him in the sense that he’s like stick tuitiveness and has changed a little bit, but overall, I don’t think you see it over and over and over again. If you’re in a competitive environment, you kind of rise to the level immediately seem to swim. Selfless part. I think you got to have that already. The wrong type of role that you’d be in. Once those debates have happened, you we’re committed to that. You know, you had your opportunity within that war room to debate and discuss and so forth. And I think that helps too because if the entire group knows that their opinions matter, they’re going to say, “Hey, look, I really do need to watch these guys because when I get back in there, I’m going to be debated. I’m going to be asking about that. Not just simple as what I could have seen on tape, but what I saw in person there. It was an honor to represent the organization and everybody that supports the Brooklyn Nets. You know, it’s a big responsibility even though you go there to, you know, basically try to be lucky. Good luck everyone. The eighth pick in the NBA draft belongs to the Brooklyn Nets. In our job, life is not about luck. Right now, we know what we have for first one second. uh what the pigs we have in the future, the flexibility we have and and we’re excited to bring these new players here and to keep growing, keep working this summer. So, that’s the exciting part. This is what we can control and because of what you can control, that’s what makes it exciting. It’s a real deep draft loaded with high-profile younger players, some experienced guys that, you know, had solid college careers. And so, yeah, I like Brooklyn’s position. This is one of the deepest draft classes that we’ve seen in a while, and I’m excited to see who they end up with. It’s been awesome so far. Just being in a room with a bunch of decision makers of different teams, it’s an unbelievable feeling. And just got to be yourself and be authentic. They asked me, you know, who I am as a player, how am I seeing myself, and they gave me a chance to ask them um the questions that I want to know from them. It’s been an unbelievable experience getting ready for hopefully the NBA draft soon and super appreciative of the position I’m in today and there’s a lot more work to be done, but it’s been an awesome journey thus far. That is a good discussion we should have. Every meeting we have is a moment where we can share our views and what is a net for us and what we have seen and those moments are truly important for us to set the bar and be on the same page. When have you seen him be competitive? Defensively, I think he shies away from the contact a little bit, but offensively, he’s not afraid to dip his shoulder in and go and attack the beat you off the bounce. Are we discrediting who he is and what what drives him as a player? Because it’s it’s hard to find a kid with confidence like he has. I don’t see anything that translate at elite level at the NBA level. Don’t you think he’ll be able to attack those out? Yeah, but he won’t but he won’t finish. What’s that? But he won’t finish. that he will attack. He’s touching the paint and he can do this maybe. But then one of our slogans is disagree and commit. I mean that’s front and center in our war room. And the meaning behind that is that it’s healthy to disagree. It’s healthy to debate. If there’s no debate and there’s no disagreement, then I think something must be wrong. Right? We’ve all seen players in different life cycles at different points in their careers and so forth. So, we should be asking ourselves questions of who he reminds me of and you know, what would I question about that person? He’s willing to take the the time and the effort to improve in those areas. To me, he’s relying on physicality and athleticism on what I saw. College continuous motor was really I agree with that. He plays hard. Basketball IQ is good. He’s a smart kid. He picks things up. not getting him to be a primary, like a legit primary number one guy, but maybe like your number two or number three option. I would like him in that role. I I just question whether he sees himself in that role. That’s what I think there’ll be issues. And you want to keep an open mind and you want to be open to new information and you know, you’re having honest conversations not just with other people with but with yourself. What are the mistakes that I made uh in the past? How do I learn from them? and just how do you become a little bit better at your job every single day? This is one of the last times you guys are going to be together here. So, I suggest that you guys pair off and go, “Hey, why do you guys disagree?” You got to break off in small groups. Go ahead, let me show you. Watch the tape together. We are going to come to with a list together. And that list is what it is. go. First off, thank you guys. All right, that was great. What I would challenge you guys to do right now, ask questions of us. All right, utilize these resources that you have. Cold tub, hot tub. This is going to be a long process for you guys. You got to take care of your bodies. You’re going to have a draft workout tomorrow, maybe in a week. You’re going to have a lot of these. Take care of your bodies. Whatever we can do for you, just let us know. We We will do it. All right. Thank you for being Brooklyn Nets for the death. The group has done a great job, the coaches running the draft workouts. This collaboration with the front office, uh it’s been amazing. See how the process works. Every organization is different and it’s my first time with this organization going through the process how involved we are, which we really appreciate and that’s why I think great things are going to happen here. This is a really exciting class. I’ve been doing this since 2004 and it’s maybe the best draft that I’ve covered. You want to see if guys are fighters, if they care about winning as a team, uh competing as a team, like not just to win a game, but give yourself a chance. That’s what competitive is, especially in this world. So, you know, we can see that in players and try to figure it out in different ways. Diego, 69 guy that can handle the ball, checks all of our boxes, huge believer in the upside. I think just to having as many skilled and high IQ guys as possible on the floor or on your roster gives you the best opportunity to win. You know, I have this kind of picture of what player I see myself being. I think I’m looking forward just building this kind of a project of being myself, learning and taking as much as I can from people around me. So much for your his ability to just get by guys. It stood out to me. The lead first step could touch the paint whenever he wanted and he had vision. The ability of attacking the rim and I think with NBA space that’s going to be even better for him. What’s your motivation? Passion. I think that’s just passion. Like I really love the game. I’m just passionate and I just want to be the best. The guy I know I’m going to get his dream. I like the IQ. I do think he has positional size and length, competitiveness, and defensive versatility. I think you got to be mentally capable of doing things and physically capable and to both at an elite level. Come in and compete. Compete every day. win as many games as I can and just uh have a chip on my shoulder. I feel like I have the belief in myself that I’m the player that I am and so I’m going to put like my full focus towards that and just continue to grow. Ben Saraf just an upside play, young point guard with size. I think he’s got a little bit of a flare to the game. Great size, good feel, creative. He’s a hard worker. When we’re talking about like love for the game, like he has that. He makes it look simpler than it is sometimes just being 66 strong. Danny Wolf, I think he has unique profile. I’ve never seen a 7footer 250 move like that and play like that. Like he is a primary ball handler. It’s not about him as an individual player. It’s what he can do for the entire group. You cannot find a connector like this. It just doesn’t happen. I think I can be a sponge at first. You guys have lots of different experiences in your locker room from guys of all different classs. And just being able to learn bits and pieces to the point where that I’m the guy that when the young guys are coming in that I can be that leader um whenever my time comes. The lottery was something we could not control. There is stuff that we can control. So I feel a lot better with this and right now is just excitement and belief being like completely confident and supportive with our front office group and they have experience. have done a great job and that’s what they’re going to do again. They have five swings at it and we know we’re going to get future nets here. I’ve said all along I said Brooklyn controls the off season just because of the sheer volume of draft picks going into Wednesday night and then really the one of the few teams that have the salary cap space that go out and sign free agents or take back contracts however they want to go about reshaping their roster. Nets now have five first round picks in Wednesday’s draft. Four of them after the 19th selection, three in the 20s. This is the first time Brooklyn has drafted in the top 10 since Derek Favors in 2010. So plenty of needs for them. So some decisions to be made here for Brooklyn. I’m so excited with five picks in the first round, bro. It’s about to be a crazy night. Generational night for tonight. Our future really starts tonight. And I know that’s cliche, but this is going to be the core of the Nets moving forward. So, I’m really excited and I can’t wait to get it going. Let’s go Nets. Let’s go Nets. Let’s go Nets. Let’s go Nets. They’ve waited their whole lives for this moment. And tonight, they dress like they belong in it with swagger tailored for the spotlight. It’s all part of a celebratory evening where this has been years in the making. Hey, listen up. Okay. Gratitude to everybody, all the hours you put in all this entire year. Just grateful for everybody and decided to make history tonight. So, let’s get it done, guys. Good evening and welcome to the 2025 NBA draft. Let’s get started. Which of the players drafted tonight will be the next key piece of a championship team? The competition begins tonight. And now it’s the Brooklyn Nets that are on the clock. Let’s see who the Nets select. Okay, this is Brooklyn’s first lottery pick since we’ve been here. BJ, it’s yours. Yes, Jagor Deon for Brooklyn. With the eighth pick, the Brooklyn Nets select Jaor Demon from Moscow and Brigham Young University. You You’re talking about a guy who’s got positional size. He’s over 68. The confidence, the fearlessness with finding his teammates, the vision and skill to do so that stands out. Let’s see the hat. Let’s see the hat. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Jerger Sean Marks here. How are you? I’m really grateful. Hey, that’s you guys. Making my life so much happier right now. We’re thrilled to have you. Part of the family, my man. Thank you. Man, I’m overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed. I’m feeling so great and such a happy moment for me, for my family, for my hometown. Ready when you are with number 19 Brooken Select. Nolan Trare with the 19th pick. The Brooklyn Nets select Nolan Trare from Sha Ranton France and Sanan Quenton Basketball in France. Nolan Traor is one of the best ball handlers and passers in this draft class. He’s a jet in the open court for whom the game comes easily operating out of pick and roll. Man, it feels crazy. Like that’s a crazy feeling. So happy. So thankful, bro. I’m home already. I’m home. Three more picks to go for Shawn Marks. Let’s see what he does the rest of this first round. So, the guys driving two hours every day, all the sacrifices on the court. Appreciate you, Kyle. Come on over. All right, here we go. Pete, we’re going with Drake Pal. With the 22nd pick, the Atlanta Hawks select Drake Pal from the University of North Carolina. 65 3ND wing out of UNCC. He’s an elite on ball defender, catch and shoot threes. He’s a great athlete. Had some of the best numbers we’ve seen in the combine when it comes to his max vertical. A good deal of potential for Drake Pal. All right, here we go. Ready? Ben Saraf with the 26th pick. The Brooklyn Nets select Ben Saraf from Goshia, Israel in the club in Germany. This Israeli guard is 6’7 in shoes with polished pace, creativity, footwork, and he has an outstanding feel for the game. Brooklyn still on the clock now here. Back-to-back picks. They got another one coming up. Raven, where you are? Uh, Brooklyn Nets select Danny Wolf. And with the 27th pick, the Brooklyn Nets select Danny Wolf from the University of Michigan. Danny Wolf has waited hours tonight to hear his name called and now you see the mix of joy and relief. He amazes me. I mean the vision skill set of a point guard in the body of a center. His entire life he’s had a chip on his shoulder to be great. And nothing for this kid has come easy. He’s a hard worker and we could not be more proud to be his parents. It’s a dream come true. I mean, any little kid dreams of this and it’s what I’ve worked towards, but it’s just the start of a new journey and Brooklyn’s unbelievable. Great city, great fan base. Barkley’s, it’s home. I’m here. Um, just can’t wait to get to work. I’m thrilled with the group that we’ve got tonight. 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. As I’ve said before, we’re trying to find the next Nets, so that’s the point of here. And we’re looking for guys that have the qualities we’re looking for. high character, competitive individuals who play the right brand of basketball. You need like a little time to like to realize that uh that it just happened. But now we’re ready to work, you know. It’s just a great feeling, man. It was pretty crazy. I had some up and downs cuz obviously I got drafted and then I had like the final game in the German league and we lost it. But uh overall it was amazing experience. Was super exciting to get drafted especially by Brooklyn of course the city, the fans, everybody here, the community. Yeah, it was super exciting. I think it’s just like crazy surreal like younger Drake. He always had like the NBA on his mind like as a goal like waking up like even as like a 5-year-old kid like you could tell he took it way too seriously. But um it’s really cool to see it like all the hard work pay off. I’m just happy that they got me here and I’m ready to go to work. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. I’ve been here before. Nowhere to go. Really feel like it’s home. Congrats. Appreciate it. How’s life? Good. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Coach, man. How you doing? Thank you so much, man. Of course. Appreciate you. These young men are part of our family now and they’re going to have to earn it and I think that’s how it should be. So, it’s an exciting part of our journey right now to welcome these guys and put them to work. Are you doing an interview? I I I don’t I don’t know. Or they’re just filming. Whatever. Whatever you need me. Whatever you need me. I’m pretty much influencer. Yeah. Are you? I’m getting there. I have my cameras. I’ll record you if you need. Sure. You couldn’t control my dad. My mom was trying to stay with him. He’s just running around. Why you taking so many faces? I got to give a lot of credit to the entire amateur scouting department. They’ve done a heck of a job this year identifying these young men and how they would fit with what we’re trying to build here in in Brooklyn. And also seeing like, okay, where can they be? That’s exciting. When you see the continuity we can have with this group and how they can flourish over the next 3, four, 5 years is going to be exciting. You know, saying hi to me. How are you, brother? Good, man. You good? Great. Happy to be here. How you feeling? I feel great, man. So, it’s going to be good. Yeah, I love that. Grow together. I love that. Work together. Nothing better. Great over here. That’s tough, man. Like in 2K, man. I’m excited. The chair for the first time. Oo, that’s good. That feels great. The chair is good. Drake, sit down. I’m not sitting. Congratulations. The overall impressions are obviously really high about this place and for me after getting to know some of the coaches, front office, and just the whole organization. It was really exciting for me to have a chance to be back here. It’s a young group and it’s on us five rookies and the other guys in the locker room to kind of help build the identity of what the front office wants out of the Brooklyn Nets and we got to align with that and just work our butts off to really be successful and it’s going to be nothing else but hard work and just excited to get to work with these guys and really help try to lay a foundation of what Brooklyn Nets basketball is going to be.

This episode of SCOUT goes inside the final stages of Brooklyn Nets’ 2025 NBA Draft preparation, including an exclusive look at pre-draft interviews, workouts, scouting meetings, and the war room on draft night. Following the draft, get to know the 2025 Nets rookie class — Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf — and go behind-the-scenes for their first day in Brooklyn as they embark on their NBA journeys.

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