Ben Saraf made a strong impression for the Brooklyn Nets during their 123-88 win over Hapoel Jerusalem on Saturday, Oct. 4. The 26th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft ended the night with nine points and six assists to his name on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. His ability to take care of the ball (just one turnover) was another notable takeaway from his overall performance.
When speaking to the media after the game, head coach Jordi Fernandez spoke glowingly of Saraf’s performance, noting how he played like a veteran. The game was Saraf’s first as an NBA player, and he clearly made the most of the opportunity to stake his claim for regular minutes.
“He plays like a vet. He was good with the ball taking care of the ball, which at times in camp it was something he hasn’t been as good at,” Fernandez said, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “With five fouls, that’s the thing that he’s going to clean up a little bit more. But I was very, very happy even though he had those fouls early in the game, his mind was in the game and he kept playing and he was not really affected by it. So it tells you who he is, how mature he is at his age. He’s just going to keep getting better.”
Saraf has landed in an ideal environment as a rookie. The Nets are young enough to afford him legitimate playing time if he continues to impress. Furthermore, the lack of expectation on the roster should ensure that he’s free to play through mistakes as he acclimates to the NBA.
Of course, Saraf will need to continue stringing good performances together if he aims to find a role in Fernandez’s rotation. As such, if he’s given more opportunities throughout the preseason, he must do his best to capitalize and force his way into contention for minutes on opening night.