When Ben Saraf was 9 years old, he split his time between two main sports: judo and basketball. One day, he informed his parents—both former basketball players—that he wanted to focus exclusively on basketball. To make his point clear, he showed up to a judo practice wearing jeans, a garment he normally avoided, signaling to his coach that he was done. Early in the session, he walked up, shook her hand, and announced his departure. From that moment on, there was no turning back. His path was clear: become the best version of himself as a basketball player and reach the NBA.
Now, a decade later and fresh off his 19th birthday, Saraf faces one of the most pivotal weeks of his career. On one front, he has led his German team, Ratiopharm Ulm, to an away victory over Bayern Munich, taking a 2–1 lead in the playoff finals series. On Tuesday night, he had the chance to seal the championship, but the team lost 67-53. On another front, he's on the cusp of fulfilling his biggest dream: being selected in the NBA Draft, which takes place Wednesday and Thursday night.
Saraf was born in South Africa, where he lived until the age of three due to his father's work in the diamond industry. After returning to Israel, the family settled in a village in the Emek Hefer region, a mostly rural area housing several small communities about 17 miles north of Tel Aviv, for five years, and later moved to Gan Yoshiya, another small town in the same region.
Both of his parents were former basketball players. His father, Yedid, played for the Bnei Herzliya youth team and had one season with the senior squad. His mother, Ela, played for the women’s national team and in Israel’s second division. With basketball in their DNA, his parents quickly recognized their son’s potential and provided him with a rare and rigorous professional environment for a young player.
Early on, Saraf had access to personal coaches in various fields—shooting, individual skills, physiotherapy, and complementary treatments such as acupuncture and ice baths. His nutrition was carefully managed, with thousands of calories consumed daily to build muscle mass. His entire lifestyle was centered around the game. In 11th grade, when he started playing at the senior level, his family made a joint decision for him to leave school, meaning he did not complete a high school diploma. Nevertheless, they are confident his discipline will allow him to pursue education later, should he choose to.
Alongside his parents’ full investment, Saraf built a close circle of supporters early on. At age eight, he began playing for Hapoel Emek Hefer, where he met key mentors such as club chairman Lior Kaplinski and Ramon Wolfson, now the sporting director of Maccabi Rehovot. “I always sensed there was something special about him,” Wolfson recalled. “But it became crystal clear in eighth grade when during a game, he told me: ‘We don’t have a strong starting five, no one’s taking shots.’ I subbed in a shooter right then, and I saw him differently from that moment on.”
Even as a child, Saraf was laser-focused. “Every day people would ask if he practiced ball control,” said Wolfson. “It’s not like we didn’t let him enjoy life—he did—but if there was training on Saturday morning, he’d go to bed early Friday night. Not out of pressure, but because we all understood he was different. That kind of support—private trainer, strength coach—was unheard of in Emek Hefer. Ben was the first.”
Saraf quickly began playing with older age groups. At 16, after some deliberation, he signed a four-year contract with Elitzur Netanya in Israel’s second division. The club’s sporting director, Idan Avshalom, who later became one of Saraf’s closest professional figures, was the one who spotted his potential and brought him in. In return, Saraf delivered: he was named both Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 14 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
“I saw him in a youth game for Emek Hefer,” Avshalom recalled. “He was the youngest on the court, but his body language and inner calm stood out. I met with his parents at their home, and even at 1 a.m., I wouldn’t leave until I got a handshake. That was the start of something special. Ben is like a machine—disciplined, methodical, driven. If something doesn’t work, he repeats it hundreds of times. When he steps on the court, he locks in completely, but in a positive way. His confidence comes from humility.”
Avshalom also shared a memorable moment: “Right after we knew he’d be joining Netanya, I scheduled a practice while I was training Tamir Blatt. I asked his father to bring shoes, just in case. When Ben arrived, Tamir asked if he wanted to join. He laced up and stepped right in like he’d always been there—sharp, calm, professional. I was very impressed.”
After just one season in the second division, many teams came knocking—among them, Badalona and Maccabi Tel Aviv. But Saraf chose to sign with Ironi Kiryat Ata in Israel’s top division, aiming for significant playing time. That move also reunited him with coach Sharon Avrahami, who had led him in the U16 and U18 national teams. “What tipped the scale was the fact that Avrahami had coached him before,” Wolfson said. “There was an offer from Maccabi, but playing time is irreplaceable.”
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Avrahami added, “We always knew he’d go far, but not this fast. Even before he joined Kiryat Ata, I told people he’d become an NBA player—and many were skeptical. Beyond the physical and technical abilities, Ben has extraordinary mental toughness. On the court, he’s fully confident—even against veteran pros. At the same time, he’s humble. I spoke to a lot of scouts this year and told them all: whoever drafts him is hitting the jackpot.”
At just 18, Saraf made the bold move to sign a two-year contract with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, seeking maximum exposure in Europe. In his first EuroCup season, he averaged 12.8 points and 4.6 assists in nearly 25 minutes per game, helping his team finish seventh in the regular season. In the Bundesliga, he averaged 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists in 24 minutes. In Game 3 of the finals series, he scored 20 points to lead his team to another victory, bringing them to the brink of a championship.
Now, with a strong season behind him and his name entered in the NBA Draft, Saraf stands at a critical crossroads. Projections place him anywhere between the late first and second rounds—a margin that may determine whether he heads to the NBA this summer, returns to Europe (perhaps even to the EuroLeague), or joins a U.S. college team to further his development.