Time in Long Island did Wonders for Brooklyn Nets' Ben Saraf

The 2025 first-round pick began the season in the starting lineup, then went down to the G League and is now back in the rotation.

Dec 6, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Saraf (77) dribbles up court during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Ben Saraf was taken by the Brooklyn Nets with the 26th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He was surprisingly given starting guard duties through the first five games of the season, but that didn't lead to immediate success.

We knew that it was likely that multiple members of the Nets' rookie class could see meaningful time in the G League, given general manager Sean Marks' comments at their introductory press conference. Nolan Traoré and Danny Wolf were the primary rookies spending time in Long Island, but Saraf had a baseline of production in real NBA action.

In Saraf's first seven games of the season with Brooklyn, he averaged 3.3 points, 2.4 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game. The 19-year-old was a liability on the defensive end, while shooting 25.9% from the field and 23.1% from three.

The initial call down to the G League came on Nov. 4, and Saraf burst onto the season in his first game against the Capital City Go-Go. He posted 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and three stocks in the win, becoming the first player in Long Island history to score 20 or more points off the bench in their debut.

Saraf's ability to get inside the paint came much easier at the G League level, and he shot the ball with more confidence.

Through four games with Long Island this season, Saraf's averages stand at 14.8 points, 3.8 assists, three rebounds and one steal per game. Most importantly, he saw his shooting splits increase from his time in the NBA to 46.5% from the floor and 28.6% from beyond the arc.

Solid rotational minutes didn't come for Saraf in Brooklyn again until a recall on Nov. 17. Even then, he didn't see the floor until a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 29 when Egor Demin and Michael Porter Jr. were both out of the lineup. Saraf played 29 minutes off the bench, scoring 10 points and dishing out seven assists, securing his spot in the rotation for the time being.

In his five games since returning to the lineup, he is averaging 8.4 points, 3.4 assists and 1.8 stocks per game. His shooting efficiency still needs some work, but Brooklyn can live with 42.9/30.0/85.7 splits from a rookie.

There are always going to be negative connotations with players getting assigned to the G League, but the Nets are using Long Island correctly, and it's already paying dividends for players like Saraf.