The Brooklyn Nets’ 2025 rookie class stepped off the hardwood and into the heart of the borough, taking part in a Brooklyn Basketball clinic at the outdoor courts in Sunset Park.
The event marked the first community appearance for Brooklyn’s five first-round draft picks. Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf helped lead drills, sharing advice, blocking shots, and engaging directly with the 50 local kids, ages 9–12, in attendance.
“It’s amazing,” Dëmin said. “It’s super fun for me. It’s really important to be impactful to a community. That’s one of my goals coming to Brooklyn: how can I help people? I want to motivate kids, I want to be affecting kids in a positive way. And this is huge for me.”
Dëmin, who came to the U.S. from Russia last year, said he’s already starting to feel at home in Brooklyn.
“I haven’t explored as much as I want to yet,” he said, “but I already love this place. There are so many different environments, and the people are really nice. And I’m a big eater, there’s a lot of good food here.”
For many of the young athletes at the clinic, it wasn’t just about learning a better crossover or perfecting their shot; it was about being seen, heard, and encouraged by players they look up to.
Drake Powell, a North Carolina native, took time during the drills to connect with the kids one-on-one, often playfully blocking shots or knocking the ball away, to plenty of laughs and smiles.
“It’s great just being able to interact with them, even in small ways,” Powell said. “Slapping the ball out of their hands, blocking a couple shots… It’s fun. These are kids who love basketball just like we do.”
He added that he still remembers the impact of similar moments from his own childhood.
“I went to UNC basketball camp. I remember shooting with Brice Johnson and being so happy that I scored on him. That moment stuck with me. Hopefully, we gave these kids a moment like that today.”
Nolan Traore echoed those sentiments. The 19-year-old French guard lit up when talking about the chance to give back.
“It’s great to see these kids out here working, especially in this heat,” Traore said, laughing. “I didn’t go to NBA camps growing up, but I played in the streets with my brother and friends all the time. That’s what summer was for. Playing outside, sweating, competing, this kind of stuff means a lot.”
The afternoon was part of the Brooklyn Basketball program, a youth development initiative led by the Nets and New York Liberty that aims to grow the game at the grassroots level by making it more accessible and empowering for kids across the borough.
Team Hype, the Nets’ official entertainment squad, brought added energy to the day, leading chants, hyping up plays, and helping create a celebratory atmosphere that felt more like a neighborhood block party than a formal basketball clinic.
For the rookies, it was a break from the grind of summer workouts and a reminder of what it means to wear “Brooklyn” across their chest.
The clinic wrapped up with group photos, autographs, and plenty of smiles, a memorable afternoon for the kids and a meaningful first step into the community for Brooklyn’s newest players.
As they continue settling into their new home, the rookies are already showing that their impact in Brooklyn will extend far beyond the court.
