Are the Nets the youngest team ever? They selected five first-round picks in one draft; 22-year-old Zeng Fanbo is expected to sign.

On September 22nd Beijing time, New York Post reporter Lewis stated that the Brooklyn Nets made history as the first NBA team to pick five first-round rookies in one draft.Lewis pointed out that based on the finalized roster, the Nets are likely to eclipse the 2022-23 Houston Rockets as the youngest team ever in the NBA. That Rockets squad had an average age of 22.1 years.

With training camp starting this week, the Nets face a new challenge—how to smoothly integrate these new players into the existing system. The addition of Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Srauf, and Danny Wolf brings fresh talent and new hope to the rebuilding Nets team.

“Honestly, this is fantastic; it’s a rare opportunity for us,” Nets GM Sean Marks said this summer. “We’ve never had five picks in a single draft before. Selecting all of them in this rookie class is unusual. We have to seize this chance, especially during our current rebuilding phase—we clearly see how these young players will fit into our team and make the roster. So, the key now is to make the most of the hand we’ve been dealt.”

Among the five rookies, the most anticipated is Demin. This 2.06-meter guard from Brigham Young University was picked 8th overall by the Nets. The 19-year-old Russian showed impressive shooting skills during the Summer League, but because the Nets had several point guards during the Las Vegas Summer League, he did not get a dedicated ball-handler role, limiting his playmaking opportunities.

As for Traore, Powell, Srauf, and Wolf, being rookies, their playing time in the new season might be limited, and all five could potentially be assigned to the Nets’ G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, for further development.

“Participating in the preseason with the team, getting to know each teammate, and understanding everyone’s basketball style is very important,” Traore said. “As a point guard, I believe that learning teammates’ preferences and building team chemistry the right way is the core task at this stage.”

Besides these five first-round rookies, the Nets recently acquired 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin via trade; he just turned 22. Additionally, Dalryk Whitehead and Noah Clowney are both 21 years old.Lewis also mentioned that Zeng Fanbo, who is expected to sign soon, is only 22 years old.

This undoubtedly presents a major challenge for Nets head coach Fernandez. Last season, his Nets squad was already the third youngest team in the entire league.

“This is definitely my responsibility. Player development will be a top priority, and we have been meticulous in this area,” Fernandez said. “The coaching staff has put in great effort to motivate players in training, and real progress has been made. We believe these rookies can achieve the same.”