Why Ben Saraf is an Elite Talent at Combo Guard

The Israeli playing for Ratiopharm Ulm in German Bundesliga has displayed a myriad of skills that translate to the NBA.

Feb 12, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general view of a ball going through the net during the second half between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Everyone wants to find the next Luka Doncic, a dominant lead initiator with innate ability to find open shooters off the bounce as well as score at as high a level as exists in the NBA. While this is an impossible task given his skill level and professional development, there are intriguing overseas prospects that have given off 'Luka vibes,' which essentially translates to "jumbo creators with scoring upside."

One such player is Israeli guard Ben Saraf, a 6-foot-5 combo guard who has the Doncic swag down to his signature No. 77 jersey. Though a significantly different prospect from Doncic in many ways, he does have a few things in common with the new Lakers star, mostly in that he is a two-pronged ball handler in that he can score or distribute depending on the defense.

The differences are more significant; Saraf plays with a much different pace, looking to push the ball up the court and use his athleticism to get himself to the rim, as opposed to the prodding Doncic who puts defenders on his back hip and slowly backs opponents down into the paint, where he can then easily finish with acrobatic leaners and other shots that require him to contort his body into weird angles.

Given Saraf is just 18 and playing in one of the premier professional leagues in the world in the German Bundesliga, he has demonstrated consistency as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets. 71.7% of his overall possessions are out of the pick-and-roll, and though the numbers aren't eye-popping at 0.768 points per shot, the fact he's at least consistently able to facilitate makes him a player with real potential as a lead initiator in the NBA.

He's extremely efficient as far as points per possession goes in isolation situations, where he ranks in the 68th percentile at 0.976. This is an amalgamation of both his passing out of these sets as well as his scoring, meaning he has the ability to distribute or to take it himself. He is effective in transition, though his numbers are marred by turnovers when he rushes a pass. However, his rim scoring has been much improved this year, so when he decides to go to the rim, he's finishing at 1.43 points per shot, good for 56th percentile in the Bundesliga.

As a prospect overall, Saraf has a fairly wide range of outcomes as far as where he will land in the 2025 NBA Draft. Some have him borderline top five, while others have him end of the lottery. Given his skillset, he seems like one of the better bets in this class, especially if the shooting improves.

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