Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Saraf is entering a crucial second year with the kind of summer that could shape where he fits in the team’s rebuild. The Nets have loaded up on guards over the last two seasons, and that group got even deeper when Brooklyn selected Mikel Brown Jr. with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Saraf, though, says he’s coming into summer league with a better feel for himself and his game.
“It’s been great, feeling way better on and off the court, feeling more comfortable here with everybody. On the court, I feel stronger with great work in the gym for me and all the other young guys,” Saraf said to the media after summer league practice on Wednesday.
Saraf is set to play for Brooklyn in both the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League, and the spotlight is clear: he may need to flash something special to earn minutes next season. After an uneven rookie year, he said the biggest focus has been sharpening his shot and tightening up his handle.
“Of course, my shot, I feel like I’m way better, like better percentage, and feel more comfortable with my shot now,” Saraf said when asked what he has been working on this summer following an up-and-down rookie season. “A lot of ball handling, a lot of work with headset on all the other stuff we need to work on, and feeling good.”
The 20-year-old finished last season averaging 7.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and 21.1% from three. He got an early shot at the starting point guard job, opening the season in that role for the first five games, but the results were rough: 3.2 points and 3.2 assists per game while hitting just 21.7% of his shots.
Saraf looked far more comfortable after a stint with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate. In five games there in December, he averaged 8.4 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 30.0% from deep.
Now he’s in the mix for point guard minutes with Brown, Egor Demin, and Nolan Traore when he’s able to play. For Saraf, the path forward is crowded, but he sounds ready for it.
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