On June 25, the Brooklyn Nets became the first team in NBA history to select five players in the first round of the draft. They finished the season 26-56 and missed the playoffs for two straight years, wanting a team that could share the ball. They picked at Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26, and 27, making an unprecedented volume of picks no team ever kept.
With a golden opportunity to reshape the entire roster, the Brooklyn Nets selected a raw prospect. The draft also lacked a true shooter, a key factor for the team’s success.
Brooklyn Nets Five First-Round Picks 2025 Draft Strategy
The Nets, still chasing their first NBA title, used their five picks to add point guards and versatile defenders who can switch positions as needed.
Egor Demin, the Brooklyn Nets’ No. 8 pick
I have no doubt I’m gonna be a solid shooter. I’m seeing myself as a really good shooter in the future just because I know how much I put into the work to become one.
Egor Demin said.
“I have no doubt I’m gonna be a solid shooter. I’m seeing myself as a really good shooter in the future just because I know how much I put into the work to become one.”
— The Joesen One (@Joe_Martin13) June 29, 2025
– Egor Demin on his shooting being a swing skill in his game pic.twitter.com/H9MfPwvhRO
2. Nolan Traore, the Brooklyn Nets’ No. 19 pick
Nolan Traore, a 6-3, 175-pound guard born May 28, 2006, was selected by the Nets with the No. 19 pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
3. Drake Powell, the Brooklyn Nets’ No. 22 pick
Drake Powell, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound, was drafted 22nd overall in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, via a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, after playing his college basketball at North Carolina.
4. Ben Saraf, the Brooklyn Nets’ No. 26 pick
The Brooklyn Nets selected Saraf with the No. 26 pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-5 guard, born April 14, 2006, is 19 years old and begins his rookie season with Brooklyn.
5. Danny Wolf, the Brooklyn Nets’ No. 27 pick
Danny Wolf was selected as the 27th pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. Standing at 2.13 meters (6’11”) and weighing 113 kg (250 lbs), Wolf played college basketball at Michigan.
What implications does the Brooklyn Nets’ strategy have for their roster?
The Brooklyn Nets’ 2024 draft haul reflects the payoff from years of stockpiling picks through major trades. Dealing Kevin Durant to the Suns in 2023 netted four first-rounders. Last month, the Nets flipped assets with the Rockets to gain Houston’s 2025 and 2026 first-round selections, which helped secure the No. 8 pick this year. A late draft-night swap with the Celtics and Hawks added the No. 22 pick.
Taking five first-rounders in one draft is unusual for a team limited to a 15-man roster, a move The Ringer called “impractical.” But under new head coach Jordi Fernandez, the Nets are betting volume brings upside. The days of chasing quick titles with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are gone; Brooklyn is gambling on a youth movement to find future stars.
However, the approach raises questions. Three of the five picks are point guards, and Cam Thomas remains on the roster, creating overlap in ball handling and spacing. Concerns about shooting and defensive fit linger too. Rookies Powell and Wolf may carve out early roles thanks to their defensive edge, but the class risks looking redundant.
Brooklyn enters a rebuild while other Eastern Conference teams also reshuffle. The Nets expect 2025–26 to be a developmental year, hoping a crowded draft class can yield a new core for the next chapter.
READ: Inside an NBA Draft Prospect’s Pre-Draft Preparation Journey
