2025 NBA Draft: Ben Saraf Shines in Ulm Debut

Israeli prospect Ben Saraf saw a scorching performance in his first BBL action.

Apr 8, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; General view in the second half between the Connecticut Huskies and the Purdue Boilermakers in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Breen/Arizona Republic-Imagn Images / Patrick Breen-Arizona Republic

The 2025 NBA Draft is already gaining a sterling reputation as a solid class, with several high-level prospects emerging as viable options for NBA teams.

While Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe and more have dominated headlines, Ben Saraf is quietly rising in the rankings. 

A 6-foot-6 guard, Saraf is helping to boost the already-strong international crop in the 2025 draft with strong professional play that started in the FIBA U18s.

In seven games with Israel, he put up a white hot 28.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds. The kicker: he did so in head-to-head matchups against other tops prospects in the ’25 class, including Spain’s Hugo Gonzales, Frenchman Nolan Traore and more.

With just a seven-game sample, many have been waiting on Saraf’s next move to justify his high-level performances. And in his debut with Ratiopharm Ulm in Bundesliga, he did just that.

In the team’s first game against Chemnitz, Saraf scored a team-high 21 points, shooting 8-for-15 overall while adding three rebounds and two assists.

Even more than Saraf simply looking the part against the best competition he’s faced yet, the performance was also highly encouraging from an opportunity perspective. The 18-year-old might not have a massive role on the professional squad, but his 24 minutes and 15 shots could point to real opportunity.

For now, NBA decision-makers will be awaiting Saraf’s upcoming game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 16, where he’ll face off against current NBA-ers.

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