2025 NBA Draft: Ben Saraf to Face Trail Blazers

After a white-hot FIBA U18 slate, Israel’s next draft prospect will face real NBA competition in October.

Apr 12, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) warms up before a game against the Houston Rockets at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The 2025 NBA Draft is already gaining acclaim as one of the best classes we’ve seen in some time. And its crop of international prospects are a large part of that.

One of those is 6-foot-6 guard Ben Saraf, who has put himself on draft radars with a white-hot FIBA U18 slate. 

Over the summer, Saraf did more to boost his stock than any other international prospect, putting up a ridiculous 28.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds across seven games with Israel in the FIBA U18 matchups. Perhaps most impressively, he did so in head-to-head matchups against other prospects in his class, ousting Hugo Gonzalez, Nolan Traore and more en route to a fourth-place finish.

The performances put him on NBA radars, but many scouts and experts are anticipating an upcoming bout with real NBA competition.

Saraf will play his next season of basketball with Ratiopharm Ulm, the same team that saw Pacome Dadiet drafted to the Knicks with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

In October, Ulm will face off against the Portland Trail Blazers in an exhibition for NBA preseason. While Saraf isn’t likely to be a staple for the squad as a youngster, league scouts and decision-makers will take any time they can get to gauge how ready for NBA action the jumbo guard is.

Ulm and the Trail Blazers will face off on Oct. 16, following matchups against the Clippers and Kings.

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