Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Saraf is coming off an uneven rookie NBA season where he showed some of his ability to get to the rim while also showing that his shooting has to improve. Brooklyn invested a first-round pick in Saraf last summer and with the Nets have added guard Mikel Brown Jr. via the 2026 NBA Draft, Saraf knows that he has to earn his minutes.
"It was really important for me to prove to myself that I was capable, even if I had to take a step back. I wanted to stay mentally strong, and I think by the end of the season I was playing much better and had some good games," Saraf said, per Joshua Halickman of The Jerusalem Post. Heading into training camp later this month, Saraf will likely be competing with Brown and Nolan Traore for minutes
at the point guard spot.
"But the goal now is to start next season already playing a meaningful role with the team," Saraf continued, per Halickman. Saraf, 20, is coming off a rookie season in which he averaged 7.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and 21.1% from behind the three-point line in 44 games played at the NBA level.
Heading into the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, the Nets are still in the midst of a rebuild, meaning that players like Saraf will get the opportunity to show what they can do over an 82-game season. However, with the starting lineup projected to include Egor Demin, Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and center Day'Ron Sharpe, Saraf basically has to beat out Brown and Traore to be the starting point guard.
Saraf showed some glimpses of the player he could be during the summer circuit this year when he averaged 10.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 37.3% from the floor and 33.3% from deep. Head coach Jordi Fernandez will have some tough rotation decisions to make after the team added Randle, along with Keon Ellis and Mo Wagner, to the roster, but Saraf is prepared to fight for as much playing time as possible.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Ben Saraf discusses earning his role heading into NBA season
