Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Saraf had an uneven rookie season as he dealt with NBA competition for the first time while learning how to play point guard in the Association. Brooklyn invested a first-round pick in Saraf with the hope that he can reach his potential that the team believe he has and he recently spoke on what his rookie season in the NBA was like for him.
"During my workouts over the past few months, the Summer League and our team practices, I already feel like the game has slowed down for me a bit," Saraf said of his offseason preparations, per Joshua Halickman of The Jerusalem Post. After a rookie season where Saraf's strengths and weaknesses were displayed on a nightly basis, he seems to be aware of the fact that he has to make strides
in his game sooner rather than later.
"You have to get used to the pace and understand better what’s expected of you. This summer, I’m focusing a lot on improving my shooting, getting stronger physically, learning how to take care of my body and how to prepare for games," Saraf continued, per Halickman. "Those are all things you learn during your first NBA season, and I’m happy about that."
Saraf, 20, is coming off a 2025-26 season where 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. Saraf's performance in the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League showed that he still has some work to do as he put forth averages of 10.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 37.3% from the floor and 33.3% from deep.
As Saraf heads into his second NBA season, he will be in a competition with Mikel Brown Jr. and Nolan Traore for minutes at the point guard spot once training camp begins later this month. Saraf, the No. 26 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, understands what the weaknesses in his game are and the hope is that he's able to come back as a better player for his second year in the league.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Ben Saraf reflects on rookie season heading into second year
