Ben Saraf names goals after rookie NBA season
Israeli Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Saraf said after his rookie NBA season that he wants to earn the coaching staff’s trust, play an important role on the team and help it win. The 20-year-old basketball player spoke about his plans during a visit to Israel for a meeting with fans in Rishon LeZion, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Saraf was selected by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2025 NBA Draft. In his first season, he played 44 games, made 11 starts and averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 20.8 minutes on the court.
Working on his shot
In his rookie year, Saraf made 39.6% of his field-goal attempts and 83% of his free throws. At the same time, his three-point shooting percentage was 21.1%. According to the player, he focused during the summer on improving his shot, physical preparation, taking care of his body and preparing for games.
The guard spent part of the season in the G League, but received more playing time at the end of the season. In Brooklyn’s final four games, he averaged 17 points, four rebounds and 3.8 assists while spending more than 32 minutes on the court. Saraf scored 19 points in each of two consecutive games against Milwaukee and Indiana.
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The goal is wins and the playoffs
The basketball player noted that in the new season, a place in the lineup will depend on who helps the team win the most. His goal is to get playing time, earn the coaches’ trust and have as much impact as possible on the Nets’ results.
Saraf also named reaching the playoffs as the team’s goal. In his view, Brooklyn’s roster is well built to compete for this objective.
Playing for the national team
The guard stressed that playing for Israel’s national team remains important to him. He was unable to play in the recent World Cup qualifying window because of his commitments to the Nets, but positively assessed the prospects of Israel’s youth teams and the number of talented players in the country.
Saraf named a game in which three Israelis played on the same court as one of the most emotional moments of the season. Along with him, his Nets teammate Danny Wolf and Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija also play in the NBA.
