It was a night few expected, and one that Israeli basketball fans will never forget.
As the 2025 NBA Draft stretched deep into the night of Wednesday, June 26, no one imagined the twist it was about to take. Most predictions had Ben Saraf going to Miami or perhaps late in the first round, and Danny Wolf had been linked to San Antonio or Minnesota. But history was made in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center – not just for a franchise looking to redefine itself but for Israeli and Jewish basketball fans worldwide.
When the Brooklyn Nets used back-to-back first-round picks, 26th and 27th overall, to select 19-year-old Israeli guard Saraf and 21-year-old Jewish-American big man Wolf, it marked an unprecedented moment: two Jewish players, one Israeli-born and bred and the other a dual citizen with deep Jewish roots, drafted consecutively by the same NBA team.
It was more than a basketball story; it was a celebration of identity, perseverance, and the global reach of a game that, for these two young men, means everything.
Two young Israeli players hit the NBA premier stage
Suddenly, the NBA’s premier stage will feature not just one, but two young Israeli players, and on the same team. In a league that has seen only four Israelis drafted before, Saraf and Wolf now form the first-ever Israeli tandem. Brooklyn, a city teeming with Jewish culture and history, will now host the most high-profile Israeli basketball duo the league has ever seen.
DANNY WOLF WITH NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 27th pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, at New York’s Barclays Center. (credit: Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
DANNY WOLF WITH NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 27th pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, at New York’s Barclays Center. (credit: Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
The excitement was immediate.
“This is incredibly emotional,” Saraf told reporters shortly after the draft. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for years, and now that it’s here, it’s just an amazing feeling. Brooklyn had been scouting me for a while, and I’m really happy it happened there.”
The 19-year-old guard added that playing with Danny Wolf is “something I always imagined. He’s such a smart player, and I can’t wait to share the court with him.”
Wolf, a six-foot 11-inch forward, who blossomed during his transfer season at Michigan, expressed similar joy.
“This is a dream come true. To be drafted into the NBA is one thing, but to do it with Ben, and in Brooklyn, is just surreal.”
Both players will now report to the Nets’ Summer League squad, where they’re expected to make their debuts on July 11 against defending NBA champion Oklahoma City.
THEIR PATH to this moment couldn’t have been more different.
Saraf is one of the brightest stars to emerge from the Israeli basketball system in years. A dynamic six-foot six-inch combo guard with quick feet, elite court vision, and a fierce competitive edge, Saraf rose through the ranks at astonishing speed.
After debuting in Israel’s second division at just 16, he became Rookie of the Year in the top-flight Winner League, then led Israel’s U18 team to a fourth-place finish at the 2024 European Championships while earning MVP honors. His 28.1 points per game during that tournament caught the eyes of NBA scouts around the world.
This season, playing professionally for Germany’s Ratiopharm Ulm in the EuroCup, Saraf averaged 12.8 points and 4.6 assists per game – impressive numbers for a teenager in one of Europe’s most competitive leagues. Though his outside shooting remains a development point, his basketball IQ, decision-making, and ability to create off the dribble make him a tantalizing long-term piece.
Even though his team fell short in the German Finals against Bayern Munich, Saraf had already captured the attention of NBA scouts, who admired his ball-handling, slashing, and court vision.
“On the court, [Saraf’s] size is intriguing in terms of projecting how he’ll fit and compete at a high level here,” said ESPN hoops guru Bobby Marks just before the draft. “He plays a position that teams are actively looking to fill. That’s the beauty of [being a late first-round pick]. You can land in a situation where you’re not expected to do much from day one. It’s always great to be drafted high – it looks good on your Wikipedia page; but what’s more important is the fit and how you can integrate into a system.”
Wolf, meanwhile, took the more patient route. After two relatively quiet years at Yale University, he transferred to the University of Michigan and flourished. His senior season featured averages of 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, showcasing his shooting touch, defensive versatility, and high basketball IQ.
Analysts marveled at his skill set – a seven-footer who can handle the ball, shoot, and pass like a guard. While concerns remain about his athleticism and turnovers, few big men in the draft possessed his combination of size and skill. He was one of just 24 players invited to the NBA Draft green room, and he became the 32nd first-round pick in Michigan’s storied program history.
“You don’t often see a player his size running pick-and-rolls as a ball-handler with another big, but he’s a terrific passer and really feels the game,” noted Jay Bilas, ESPN’s top draft analyst, of Wolf’s skill set. “People might question his athleticism, but at his size, to be able to do what he does with the ball – that’s very impressive.”
AFTER WAITING patiently in the green room, Wolf broke into tears with his family as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called his name.
“It’s really hard to put into words,” Wolf said on the ESPN broadcast. “I worked so hard to get here. Everything I’ve done is predicated on hard work.”
AMERICAN-ISRAELI forward Danny Wolf, 21. (credit: Imagn Images)
AMERICAN-ISRAELI forward Danny Wolf, 21. (credit: Imagn Images)
Wolf’s connection to Israel and his Jewish identity have always been a meaningful part of his basketball journey. Born and raised in the United States with a Jewish day school education and celebrating his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall, Wolf embraced his heritage not just culturally but also on the court.
In the summer of 2023, he represented Israel internationally with pride, playing a key role for Israel’s U20 national team at the European Championships and helping lead the squad to a silver medal while showcasing his versatile skill set against elite competition. Proficient in Hebrew and proud of his Jewish roots, Wolf has spoken openly about what it means to him to wear the Israeli jersey, calling it “an honor that goes beyond basketball.”
Wolf and Saraf join a Brooklyn team in full rebuild mode. With a roster that saw 19 different players start at least one game last season and finished 12th in the Eastern Conference at 26-56, the Brooklyn Nets are seeking a new identity under Spanish head coach Jordi Fernandez. Five first-round rookies are entering the fold, including Saraf and Wolf, as well as Nolan Traore, Igor Demin, and Drake Powell. The average age is dropping fast, and minutes will be up for grabs.
If Saraf can carve out a role in the backcourt rotation, and if Wolf’s unique passing and shooting skills translate, they could both see meaningful time as rookies – especially as Fernandez experiments with lineups during the early part of the season.
Saraf may even begin the year in the NBA’s G League to gain more reps, a path that has become increasingly common for young prospects. It’s not a setback; players like Pascal Siakam and Khris Middleton followed similar trajectories before blossoming into All-Stars. What matters is that both Israelis have a real chance to earn their way into the league’s elite – not just symbolically but also competitively.
There’s also the symbolic power of their presence. With Israeli forward Deni Avdija now in Portland, Israeli fans will soon witness their first regular-season matchups between Israeli NBA players since Omri Casspi and Gal Mekel shared the court in 2014. The pride is already palpable.
“Great pride, welcome to the league,” Avdija wrote in a congratulatory Instagram message to Saraf, highlighting the bond among Israel’s small but growing NBA fraternity.
THE FACT that both Wolf and Saraf ended up in Brooklyn – home to one of the world’s largest Jewish communities – adds an emotional layer that transcends the game.
Jewish fans in New York, Israel, and around the globe will now have two more figures to follow, two players who carry with them not only the pride of their heritage but the hopes of the next generation. For the Israeli basketball federation and youth programs, it’s validation of years of investment. For young Jewish players dreaming of NBA glory, it’s living proof that there’s a place for them on basketball’s biggest stage.
The magnitude of this moment hasn’t been lost in Israel. Social media erupted with tributes, and sports channels led broadcasts with news of the back-to-back selections. From Tel Aviv to New York, Jewish fans felt something deeper than basketball – a moment of shared triumph.
The road ahead will not be easy. NBA minutes aren’t handed out, especially not to late first-round picks. But the Nets have a clear incentive to develop their young talent, and both Saraf and Wolf have the pedigree – and the personality – to make the most of their moment. If things break right, the 2025 draft could be remembered not just as a historical footnote for Israeli sports but as the beginning of something much bigger.
As Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf’s NBA journeys begin, so does a new chapter in Israeli sports history. Not every draft pick pans out. Not every rebuild works. But on this night, two young Jewish athletes made the world stop and take notice – together, in black and white, at the very heart of basketball’s most diverse city.
And for Israel, for Jewish fans everywhere at this moment in time, that is quite meaningful.