NBA Draft: Round 1 Grades for Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have made history at the 2025 NBA Draft as they have become the first franchise to draft five different players in the first round of a draft.

Nets' 2025 first-round picks:

No. 8: Egor Demin, BYU
No. 19: Nolan Traore, France
No. 22: Drake Powell, UNC
No. 26: Ben Saraf, Israel
No. 27: Danny Wolf, Michigan

First team in NBA history to make 5 first-round picks in one draft.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 26, 2025

Here is how every pick grades for the Brooklyn Nets first round:

Egor Demin (Pick No. 8)

Grade: C +

The Nets front office through media and fans a curveball when they selected BYU guard and overseas talent Egor Demin with their lottery pick. This came as a shock with prospects like Khaman Maluach and Noah Essengue still on he board, as it was reported Brooklyn was high on either one of the players coming into the draft.

Nevertheless, Demin still offers some of the best passing abilities and a high IQ heading into Brooklyn. In his lone season at BYU, he put together an average of 10.6 points, 5.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds. He is a true point guard, which allows rising star Cam Thomas to stay at a true two guard position if Demin is to start in his rookie campaign.

Nolan Traore (Pick No. 19)

Grade: B

Staying on par with their first pick, Brooklyn selected another overseas guard talent, drafting France prospect Nolan Traore with their No. 19 selection. Going back to back guards for Brooklyn is certainly a head scratcher given their need at center if they are to seriously move Nic Claxton this summer. However, this move does give Brooklyn another pro-ready guard to add to their rotation immediately next season.

ESPN's Jonathon Givony had Traore mocked to the Nets with their recently acquired No. 22 pick, but Brooklyn clearly was enamored with Nolan's game enough to select him a bit earlier. Regarded as one of the fastest point guards in the draft, at 6-foot-5 and NBA-ready, Traore could be another immediate impact player for the Nets this upcoming season.

Drake Powell (Pick No. 22 via Atlanta Hawks)

Grade: A

Drake Powell will be a Brooklyn Net next season as the Atlanta Hawks selected him with their No. 22 pick, the same pick that was sent to Brooklyn in a three-team trade where the Nets essentially got the pick for free. At 6-foot-6, Powell has been praised for his elite athleticism and defensive prowess, being able to guard multiple positions.

His offensive game will need some tweaks, but Powell is not a player who will start right away for the Nets, regardless. He can definitely carve out a rotational role this season, especially with some of the other wings on the Brooklyn Nets not guaranteed to return next season.

Ben Saraf (Pick No. 26)

BREAKING: ISRAELI BEN SARAF SELECTED 26TH BY THE BROOKLYN NETS IN THE NBA DRAFT!

CONGRATS!👏🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/rXcmkHEROI
— Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) June 26, 2025

Grade: B -

Ben Saraf at No. 26 is seemingly a home run selection in terms of value, but he also marks the third guard the Brooklyn Nets decided to draft with their five first-round selections. Had the Nets not already selected two guards prior, this selection would have received an A+, considering Saraf has been linked to the Nets for months during the predraft process.

Saraf is a talented guard and, like the other two overseas talents drafted by Brooklyn, is also pro-ready, playing professionally in Germany for club Ratiopharm Ulm and taking home MVP honors at the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket competition.

Danny Wolf (Pick No. 27)

Grade: A

With their last pick in the first round, the Nets finally addressed their need for an additional big man, selecting Michigan's Danny Wolf at No. 27. Wolf stands at 7-feet, and put together a solid single season of play with the Wolverines. Wolf logged an average of 13.2 points, 3.6 assists and 9.7 rebounds per game while shooting 49.7% from the floor.