Brooklyn Nets Film Room: Breaking Down Ben Saraf's Summer League Debut

Ben Saraf was one of the four 2025 NBA Draft first-rounders who made his Brooklyn Nets debut on Thursday night. The Israeli guard finished with three points, one rebound and two assists on 1-for-5 shooting in about 18 minutes.

Ben Saraf's only 3PA in his Summer League debut pic.twitter.com/GkGoFE9PbS
— FLOOR and CEILING (Wilko) (@wilkomcv) July 11, 2025

This was Saraf’s first NBA game ever, so too much cannot be made of it. The only teammate he’d previously played with is Danny Wolf, and that was in a practice setting for the Israeli national team. Still, Saraf’s process was encouraging. He made the right decisions, understood where to be on defense and showed why he could become an important part of Brooklyn’s rotation in his first year.

Saraf’s scoring at Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany largely depended on the midrange and the pick-and-roll. His three-pointer was a question, given that he only shot 31.5% from deep on small volume. The 19-year-old attempted 92 threes in 43 games, which comes out to 2.3 per night. That will likely need to tick up in the NBA. Saraf missed his only three — a spot-up look — against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ben Saraf driving vs. OKC pic.twitter.com/sX2vlMfJUE
— FLOOR and CEILING (Wilko) (@wilkomcv) July 11, 2025

The new Nets rookie was aggressive in other areas of his scoring. Saraf’s patented move of a low crossover right, followed by a hard spin to his left was on display to mixed results. The former Ulm guard had a pretty scoop bucket on a drive halfway through the first quarter, but he also racked up a couple of turnovers and missed some tough looks.

Ultimately, Saraf is a below-the-rim athlete who relies on screens to create separation. He won’t burst past many defenders or explode on the help at the basket. For now, this overlaps with what Egor Dëmin, the No. 8 overall pick, also needs to keep working on.

Ben Saraf passing vs. OKC pic.twitter.com/xNuavuifdY
— FLOOR and CEILING (Wilko) (@wilkomcv) July 11, 2025

Saraf had two assists against OKC, but his actual playmaking was probably slightly more impressive. He didn’t really make any home-run plays, but he kept the ball ticking diligently. Saraf’s best pass came with about one minute left in the first period, as he used a screen to go right, touch the paint, and fire an overhead skip to generate a three from the left corner. Turning the corner consistently will be key.

The Ironi Kiryat Ata product was also used as a playmaker out of the post to start the second quarter. Saraf is a guard, but he is about 6-foot-7 in shoes with a wingspan that grazes 6-foot-9. He has strong positional size that head coach Jordi Fernández can tap into.

Ben Saraf defense vs. OKC pic.twitter.com/CWTfpd95Yr
— FLOOR and CEILING (Wilko) (@wilkomcv) July 11, 2025

Finally, Saraf’s defensive activity and intensity was commendable. He picked up at the point of attack for most of the game, often starting immediately after the opposing team’s inbound. Saraf was communicative and engaged, calling out and executing switches.

There are some doubts about the Israeli guard’s athletic profile as he enters the NBA, but they weren’t visible against the Thunder. Saraf used (or at least attempted to) his verticality effectively on a handful of occasions and generally stayed in front of his man.

Next, Steve Hetzel’s ‘Summer Nets’ face the Washington Wizards on Sunday, July 13 at 8 PM ET. The game will be available on ESPN 2 and the YES Network.