When the Brooklyn Nets made history back in June by selecting five players in the first round of the NBA Draft - at picks No. 8, 19, 22, 26, and 27 - it was clear they weren’t just drafting for talent. They were drafting for transformation.
No team had ever tried something quite like this: loading up on a group of mostly ball-handling, high-IQ prospects and betting big on development. Six months later, the early returns aren’t perfect - but they’re promising.
The Nets’ front office, led by GM Sean Marks, made it clear on draft night that they weren’t interested in traditional positional labels. “Versatile” was the word of the night, and it’s been the theme ever since.
These weren’t just five rookies - they were five pieces of a vision. As Marks put it, “multiple ball-handlers” who could grow into a modern, fluid system.
Head coach Jordi Fernández echoed the sentiment: this group wasn’t being boxed into rigid roles. The Nets were building around basketball IQ, adaptability, and long-term upside.
Now, as the calendar nears the six-month mark since draft night, we’re starting to see what that upside might look like - and, just as importantly, what the growing pains look like too. Three of the five rookies - Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, and Egor Demin - are among the youngest players in the league this season.
They’re playing on what is arguably the NBA’s youngest roster in years. That’s not just a stat - it’s a statement.
The Nets are embracing the long road.
And that road, as expected, hasn’t been a straight line. There’s been a lot of back and forth between Brooklyn and Long Island, with the rookies shuttling between the NBA and G League.
There have been forgettable nights followed by flashes of real promise. But that’s the nature of development.
It’s not about instant results - it’s about steady progress.
Take Egor Demin, for example. The 19-year-old Russian guard has quietly become a barometer for this rookie class.
Earlier this week, he followed up what might’ve been his worst performance of the season against Dallas with arguably his best against Milwaukee - all in a two-day span. That turnaround came after a firm message from his head coach: play better, or play less.
Demin responded the way a coach hopes a young player will - with toughness, focus, and a standout performance.
Then there’s Danny Wolf, the Nets’ final pick at No. 27.
While he didn’t come into the league with the hype of guys like Cooper Flagg or Kon Kneuppel, Wolf has been one of the most efficient rookies in the entire 2026 class - leading all first-year players in Net Rating. He’s not flashy, but he’s been productive, smart, and remarkably poised for a rookie taken late in the first round.
The Nets may have found a gem.
Another name to keep an eye on: Drake Powell. Like Demin, Powell found himself on the receiving end of some tough love from Fernández following the loss to Dallas.
The coach publicly questioned Powell’s readiness and limited his minutes to just 2:41 in the first quarter. Message sent.
Message received.
Two nights later, Powell bounced back in a big way, dropping 13 points, grabbing four boards, dishing three assists, and swiping a steal in the Nets’ biggest blowout win in franchise history - a 45-point dismantling of a Giannis-less Bucks team. He led the team in plus-minus at +31, a clear sign of his impact on both ends.
After the game, Powell showed maturity beyond his years. He told reporters he welcomed the criticism, recognizing it as a sign his coach cares.
“It just shows that he cares, not only about me as a basketball player but as a human being,” Powell said. He even mentioned talking with Demin afterward about how they could both improve - a glimpse into the camaraderie and accountability this rookie group is building.
Fernández wasn’t on the sideline for that bounce-back win - he was home with the flu - but he made sure to tune in. And he liked what he saw.
“We knew that was in them,” he said afterward. “But it’s not just about doing it once.
It’s about sustaining it.” The NBA, as he reminded everyone, is a relentless grind.
Especially when you’re 19 or 20 and still figuring out what you don’t know.
That’s the challenge facing this Nets team. They’re not just trying to develop one or two rookies - they’re developing five.
And they’re doing it in real NBA minutes, under real NBA pressure. It’s going to take time.
But the early signs - the bounce-backs, the box score flashes, the maturity in postgame interviews - suggest they’re on the right track.
Veteran Terance Mann, at 29 the elder statesman of this group, gets it. He’s been vocal about helping the rookies navigate the ups and downs.
“Every game isn’t going to be perfect for them,” he said. “We tell them that all the time.
Just go out there and give a ton of effort. We try to lead by example, and they’ve been following.”
That leadership is paying off. Demin, reflecting on his recent rollercoaster of performances, spoke like someone who understands the bigger picture.
“All of it is a process,” he said. “There’s days like that.
I’ve just got to really watch film, understand what I did wrong, talk to the coaches and players, and learn from it.”
That’s what this season is all about for the Nets. Not wins and losses - though those still matter - but development.
Growth. Learning how to bounce back.
Learning how to sustain. Learning how to be pros.
The “Flatbush Five,” as this rookie class has been dubbed, are still in the early chapters of their NBA stories. There will be more rough nights, more coaching critiques, and probably more trips to Long Island. But there’s also a clear sense of potential - not just individually, but collectively.
And if the last week is any indication, that potential is starting to show.