Here are all of the Nets‘ picks from the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn…
Round 1
No. 27 pick: F/C Danny Wolf, Michigan
The 6-foot-11, 252-pound big man is more of a point-forward than he is a center with his versatile skillset. He was named to the All-Ivy First Team and was the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player during his sophomore year at Yale before transferring to Michigan for the 2024-2025 season.
Wolf averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game over 37 games for the Wolverines. He earned All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors while helping Michigan reach the Sweet Sixteen before losing to top-ranked Auburn.
NBA.com: Wolf has interesting versatility with his 7-foot frame, able to dribble and pass in the halfcourt and in transition. He also makes up in footwork and physicality what he lacks in athleticism. His jumpshot can come and go, but his touch is good enough to be a strong baseline for further development. Wolf has shown enough in most aspects of the game to play both on and off the ball.
No. 26 pick: G Ben Saraf, Israel
Saraf, 19, began his professional career at 16 years old in the second-division Israeli Basketball National League before joining Elitzur Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Basketball Premier League ahead of the 2023-2024 season. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds and was named Israeli League Premier Rising Star.
Playing for Israel, Saraf led the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket tournament in scoring with 28.1 points per game and was named tournament MVP. The guard joined Ratiopharm Ulm of the German Basketball Bundesliga for the 2024-2025 season, averaging 12.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.
NBA.com: Passing is his best skill and the lefty Saraf is an excellent playmaker. He has above-average height, can make almost every type of pass and makes reads with ease. Saraf drives often, focusing on downhill moves and change of direction rather than shifting left to right on the perimeter. He pulls up with confidence from the mid-range and has a solid form that could lead to improved 3-point shooting as he develops.
No. 22 pick: G/F Drake Powell, UNC
Acquired on Tuesday along with Terance Mann in a three-team deal with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks, the Nets used their third first-rounder on the freshman from UNC. Powell became the first player from North Carolina drafted in the first round since, coincidentally, the Nets took Day’Ron Sharpe with the No. 29 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-6 and 190-pound wing was a top-15 ranked, five-star recruit and 2024 McDonald’s All-American and stayed in his home state of North Carolina to play for the Tar Heels. He was a bit inconsistent during his freshman season, averaging only 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 25.6 minutes in 37 games, but still showed off his athleticism and potential. He came on stronger toward the end of the season, including a 16-point performance against Miami. Overall, Powell shot 48.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three.
NBA.com: Powell’s offensive game is still developing. He has a knack for finishing through contact and plays with an aggressive motor, which combines well with his elite athleticism. He’s also a connective playmaker. Powell can also get the job on defense due to his instincts and his athleticism, and his reads should improve as he gets more experience under his belt. As raw as he is, the potential is there.
No. 19 pick: G Nolan Traoré, France
Traoré, listed at 6-foot-5 and 175 pounds, is an athletic guard from France. He averaged 11.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists across 22.8 minutes per game in 29 contests with Saint-Quentin of the LNB Élite.
In 2024, the then-18-year-old set an Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) Finals single-game record with 45 points in U18 PFBB INSEP Paris’s 101-96 victory over U18 FC Barcelona.
NBA.com: Scouts will rave about Traoré’s potential and athleticism, as he’s a player who looks more than ready to play at the NBA level from a physical perspective. He has excellent vision for his age, above-average speed and an elite acceleration that makes him not only the fastest player in this class, but one of the fastest players in the NBA if he ends up being drafted. Plus, he also has an outstanding bounce and physical abilities that should get most scouts excited. He also understands how to create his own shot, and his playmaking ability is above-average as well. There are areas in which he needs to improve, though, most notably his defense.
No. 8 pick: G Egor Demin, BYU
While many thought GM Sean Marks would make a splash and trade up, the team kept the eighth overall pick and used it on guard Egor Demin from BYU. The 19-year-old from Russia played for Real Madrid before his lone season of college basketball, in which he averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game over 33 contests.
Demin showed why he was a five-star prospect and took home Big 12 All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. He totaled 180 assists to set a BYU single-season record by a freshman and will get plenty of opportunities to run the show in Brooklyn.
NBA.com: Demin is a 6-foot-9 point forward with some of the best passing skills in the draft. He has the vision, size and creativity to make almost every type of pass with accuracy and seems to prefer setting up his teammates rather than scoring. While Demin isn’t a great jump shooter, he is crafty around the basket and in the mid-range area with fakes and a soft touch. Defensively, he’s at his best anticipating the offense, jumping into passing lanes and using active hands to generate steals and blocks.
Future picks:
- Round 2, No. 36
Here are all of the Nets‘ picks from the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn…
Round 1
No. 27 pick: F/C Danny Wolf, Michigan
The 6-foot-11, 252-pound big man is more of a point-forward than he is a center with his versatile skillset. He was named to the All-Ivy First Team and was the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player during his sophomore year at Yale before transferring to Michigan for the 2024-2025 season.
Wolf averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game over 37 games for the Wolverines. He earned All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors while helping Michigan reach the Sweet Sixteen before losing to top-ranked Auburn.
NBA.com: Wolf has interesting versatility with his 7-foot frame, able to dribble and pass in the halfcourt and in transition. He also makes up in footwork and physicality what he lacks in athleticism. His jumpshot can come and go, but his touch is good enough to be a strong baseline for further development. Wolf has shown enough in most aspects of the game to play both on and off the ball.
No. 26 pick: G Ben Saraf, Israel
Saraf, 19, began his professional career at 16 years old in the second-division Israeli Basketball National League before joining Elitzur Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Basketball Premier League ahead of the 2023-2024 season. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds and was named Israeli League Premier Rising Star.
Playing for Israel, Saraf led the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket tournament in scoring with 28.1 points per game and was named tournament MVP. The guard joined Ratiopharm Ulm of the German Basketball Bundesliga for the 2024-2025 season, averaging 12.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.
NBA.com: Passing is his best skill and the lefty Saraf is an excellent playmaker. He has above-average height, can make almost every type of pass and makes reads with ease. Saraf drives often, focusing on downhill moves and change of direction rather than shifting left to right on the perimeter. He pulls up with confidence from the mid-range and has a solid form that could lead to improved 3-point shooting as he develops.
No. 22 pick: G/F Drake Powell, UNC
Acquired on Tuesday along with Terance Mann in a three-team deal with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks, the Nets used their third first-rounder on the freshman from UNC. Powell became the first player from North Carolina drafted in the first round since, coincidentally, the Nets took Day’Ron Sharpe with the No. 29 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-6 and 190-pound wing was a top-15 ranked, five-star recruit and 2024 McDonald’s All-American and stayed in his home state of North Carolina to play for the Tar Heels. He was a bit inconsistent during his freshman season, averaging only 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 25.6 minutes in 37 games, but still showed off his athleticism and potential. He came on stronger toward the end of the season, including a 16-point performance against Miami. Overall, Powell shot 48.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three.
NBA.com: Powell’s offensive game is still developing. He has a knack for finishing through contact and plays with an aggressive motor, which combines well with his elite athleticism. He’s also a connective playmaker. Powell can also get the job on defense due to his instincts and his athleticism, and his reads should improve as he gets more experience under his belt. As raw as he is, the potential is there.
No. 19 pick: G Nolan Traoré, France
Traoré, listed at 6-foot-5 and 175 pounds, is an athletic guard from France. He averaged 11.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists across 22.8 minutes per game in 29 contests with Saint-Quentin of the LNB Élite.
In 2024, the then-18-year-old set an Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) Finals single-game record with 45 points in U18 PFBB INSEP Paris’s 101-96 victory over U18 FC Barcelona.
NBA.com: Scouts will rave about Traoré’s potential and athleticism, as he’s a player who looks more than ready to play at the NBA level from a physical perspective. He has excellent vision for his age, above-average speed and an elite acceleration that makes him not only the fastest player in this class, but one of the fastest players in the NBA if he ends up being drafted. Plus, he also has an outstanding bounce and physical abilities that should get most scouts excited. He also understands how to create his own shot, and his playmaking ability is above-average as well. There are areas in which he needs to improve, though, most notably his defense.
No. 8 pick: G Egor Demin, BYU
While many thought GM Sean Marks would make a splash and trade up, the team kept the eighth overall pick and used it on guard Egor Demin from BYU. The 19-year-old from Russia played for Real Madrid before his lone season of college basketball, in which he averaged 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game over 33 contests.
Demin showed why he was a five-star prospect and took home Big 12 All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. He totaled 180 assists to set a BYU single-season record by a freshman and will get plenty of opportunities to run the show in Brooklyn.
NBA.com: Demin is a 6-foot-9 point forward with some of the best passing skills in the draft. He has the vision, size and creativity to make almost every type of pass with accuracy and seems to prefer setting up his teammates rather than scoring. While Demin isn’t a great jump shooter, he is crafty around the basket and in the mid-range area with fakes and a soft touch. Defensively, he’s at his best anticipating the offense, jumping into passing lanes and using active hands to generate steals and blocks.
Future picks:
- Round 2, No. 36
