G League Check-in: How Ben Saraf is Faring in Long Island

The 2025 NBA Draft was headlined by the Brooklyn Nets selecting five players in the first round. Towards the back end at pick No. 26, they dipped into the international pool of prospects by selecting 19-year-old Ben Saraf.

He came in as a project player with plenty of room to grow as a guard/wing with a pass-first mentality. Being picked behind other guards like Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré and Drake Powell, Saraf was projected to see few meaningful minutes in the league in his rookie season. Despite those facts, he received early opportunities with Brooklyn.

Saraf started the first five games of the season for the Nets, averaging 18 minutes per game. There were playmaking flashes with him, averaging 3.2 assists per game, but he struggled mightily in most areas on the court.

High efficiency has never been a hallmark of Saraf's game, but it was especially poor as a starter. He shot 21.7% from the field and 16.7% from three-point range in those five games.

Saraf was quickly removed from the rotation entirely as Demin emerged.

His first assignment to Brooklyn's G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, came on Nov. 4 and he has since been assigned a total of seven times. In Saraf's first seven games in the G League, six came off the bench and he put up impressive outings from the jump.

He scored 21 points on 7-for-13 field goal shooting and got to the line for six free throw attempts. Saraf also contributed four rebounds, three assists and three stocks. He's carried that performance into more success since becoming a starter for Long Island.

The last 14 games that Saraf has played in the G League came in the starting five. In his 21 games with Long Island, he's averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game on 41.8% from the field and 37% from deep. Saraf has accepted his situation admirably and continues to show development.

He's scored over 20 points in his last two games, including a 17-point first half against the Maine Celtics on Wednesday. Saraf shot at least 60% from the field in both games as well. There are still clear issues that need to be resolved so he can get consistent minutes with Brooklyn, but as the season winds down, opportunities should arise.

Spending time with Long Island has helped Saraf adjust to the NBA's speed and physicality. As the Nets continue their rebuild, he should only improve with more reps wherever he may play.