The opening stretch of training camp is finished. The Nets now turn to preseason play, beginning Saturday against Hapoel ‘Bank Yahav’ Jerusalem at Barclays Center. Practice intensity has been high, but players and coaches alike are eager to see how it translates against outside competition.
“It’s a great feeling because you feel all this energy in the gym here and we’ve been playing against each other, and now, you get to play somebody new,” head coach Jordi Fernández said. “I think that’s very exciting. Guys are trying to position themselves and competing against each other for who starts, who’s in the rotation, minutes, and so on. I think that’s the healthy competition we want. Now, we get to take it to the next step, which is like a real game.”
Hapoel Jerusalem, a fixture in both the Israeli Premier League and the EuroCup, is among the country’s most successful clubs with multiple State Cups, league titles and a EuroCup championship. They finished last season 20–6 in Israel and 11–7 in EuroCup action.
In a 100-85 win over Hamburg Towers on Tuesday, former Seton Hall guard and Brooklyn native Khadeen Carrington paced Jerusalem with 19 points in 26 minutes. Jared Harper and Austin Wiley — teammates on Auburn’s 2018–19 Final Four squad — chipped in as well, with Harper scoring 16 and Wiley adding 14 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
Jerusalem is known for its pace control and balanced scoring, often using pick-and-roll actions to create mismatches. They also bring toughness on the glass, with Wiley anchoring the interior. While the Nets’ talent advantage is obvious, Jerusalem’s chemistry, shooting and ability to slow the game down make them a capable test early in the preseason.
“Oh yeah, it’s going to be great,” Michael Porter Jr. said. I’m excited to play. I don’t think I’ve played a team from overseas in the preseason. So, I’m looking forward to going against them. And I know they’re looking forward to it, playing against an NBA team. So, it should be a good test to see where we’re at.”
It’ll be a unique night for Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, who became the first pair of Jewish players drafted together since 2006. Saraf grew up in Moshav Gan Yoshiya in Israel’s Emek Hefer Regional Council, while Wolf secured Israeli citizenship to suit up for the national team at the FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece.
“It’s going to be really special for me,” Saraf said. “Of course, I know the guys, I know the coach, I got some friends over there playing on the team, so it’s going to be great — it’s going to be a great experience for all of us.”
Fernández added that the moment carried significance beyond just the players. “If I played a Spanish team, it would mean something to me, too,” he said, pointing out how rare it is to face an international opponent on U.S. soil. “It shows how global the NBA has become, and how strong the league’s connections are around the world.”
Saturday’s game could also draw protests tied to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. Local advocacy groups have signaled plans to demonstrate outside Barclays Center, either in solidarity with Palestinians or in opposition to Israeli policies. With Brooklyn home to large, outspoken communities engaged on the issue, and with prior rallies already held in the borough, security is preparing for heightened activity around the arena.
“It’s keeping the main thing, the main thing,” Wolf said when asked about focusing through potential protests. “I only can control what I can control, and I don’t have any say or thought as to what’s going to happen outside of the game. I’ll leave that to be and focus on the game as best I can.”
