Ratiopharm Ulm, while not among the top teams in German basketball, might be the team — outside of Bayern Munich — which may be most known, and that’s due to it being the primary German team to supply NBA talent.
In 2024, two of their players — Pacome Diadet and Juan Nunez — were selected in the latter stages of the first round and beginning of the second round respectively. In 2025, they are projected to again have two of their prospects drafted into the league with Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf. Noa Essengue is a prospect we have just covered, so it makes sense to now shine a light on teammate Saraf.
Ben Saraf is an 19-year-old Israeli guard standing at 6 feet, 5 inches tall, averaging 12.5 points per game on 45.8% shooting on 10 field goal attempts, 30% from three on 2.4 attempts, 75.7% from the line on 3.3 attempts, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 2.7 turnovers in 23.2 minutes per game in 51 games played. Efficient and productive splits from Saraf across the board here, impressive for a guard who was 18 for the majority of the season (turning 19 in early April) and competed in the EuroCup.
Let’s have a look at the film and see what’s what with Ben Saraf, who wears the number 77.
Offense/scoring
The best of Saraf’s offense can be summed up in his ability to get to and finish at the rim, and his ability to hit jumpshots inside the arc. Let’s take a look at Saraf’s ability to get to and finish at the rim first. This ability to get to the rim comes in form of attacking off the dribble with/without screen assistance, and in halfcourt/fullcourt situations.
From outside the perimeter, Saraf attacks his man and quickly bests him, and he is able to skip to the rim before the help defense can contest and Saraf scores at the rim:
On this play. Saraf breaks down the defender with a beautiful cross and is able to finish at the rim despite the contact of the help defender:
This particular play warrants a little extra discussion. ‘The defender’ in question here is Yam Madar. Madar was a prospect we covered in the 2020 draft (drafted 47th overall by the Boston Celtics but never played in the NBA), and was one of my personal favorites to cover that year because he was just so fun to watch defensively — he’s really good defensively. So for Saraf to cross up him like this and beat him highlights that this is a very impressive move, and the finish through contact was great too.
On this next play, Saraf gets the jump on his defender and gets all the way to rim and finishes with the dunk and authority:
Now coming off screening actions, Saraf uses the screen to turn the corner, attacks the switch, hangs and hits the shot, plus the foul:
Here, the screen buys Saraf a switch, off of which he attacks with another good crossover and he gets to the rim and draws the foul and free throws:
On another switch, Saraf baits the defender in thinking he’s going to go for the hand off but instead attacks the defender and scores at the rim:
Hounded by Madar, Saraf gets the break he needs with a screen, and gets downhill and is able to finish over the outstretched defender for the basket:
Saraf is also able to put pressure on the rim in full/open court scenarios.
From his own half, Saraf pushes in fullcourt and does a great job lulling the defense as he slows his momentum before shifting through the gears again to score at the rim:
After a missed shot, Saraf leads the way in the full court and takes the back-pedaling defender underneath the rim before going up with the layup:
Saraf is also able to utilize this ability to attack off the dribble/off of screens to get into his jumpshot. This is more so prominent inside the arc, where Saraf is a solid jumpshooter.
From the perimeter, Saraf gets inside towards the free throw line area and steps back and hits a jumpshot:
This time, Saraf gets to the free throw line area and, despite a little kick of his legs, hits the unconventional looking jumpshot:
On the drive, Saraf draws the foul on the drive-by dig from the defender, and hits the jumpshot and gets the continuation call:
On this play, initially, Saraf pushes in full-court and while he could attack the rim or pull up into a jumpshot he displays patience and pulls out to the perimeter. He then uses the screen from Essengue, drives to his left and hits the jumpshot:
With Madar hounding Saraf, he uses a screen — on the third screening attempt to shed Madar — to get separation and he springs into the jumpshot before the help defender can step up to effectively contest the shot, using a high release to get his shot off before the defender can close in:
Here, Saraf gets the switch he wants and attacks the switch before stepping back and hitting the long two-pointer:
Let’s look at some of Saraf’s missed shots; some of these are just to get an eye in for some misses, and others represent other albeit small issues.
Again, Saraf hits his defender with a good cross and is able to muscle some space but misses the hanging shot near the rim:
Using the screen to turn the corner, Saraf looks as though he has a clear path to an easy layup but is blocked at the rim:
This is to highlight that Saraf would have been better served to use a reverse layup to evade the shot blocker, and it demonstrates the lack of finesse that can be present in Saraf’s layup at the rim. Saraf relies on beating his man, whether it’s a screen or from the perimeter, and being quick enough to get to the rim before the help defense has a chance to react and rotate. And if they do, Saraf needs more in his locker to deal with these situations.
To add to this, Saraf does not appear to be comfortable with driving towards his off hand/finishing with his off hand. On this possession, old Hawks favorite Tyler Cavanaugh is left on an absolute island. Iif Saraf wanted to drive by he’d have a completely open path to the rim and he’d be able to do it quicker than the defense could react to rotate. If he was on his favored left he’d be away, but he settles into a three-pointer instead which is missed:
Saraf also sometimes can put himself in odd situations in how he positions/angles himself, and can tend to take some unorthodox/off balance shots, such as this possession where he drives inside and in an effort to try avoid the layup which would have been inevitably blocked, he takes this off balance shot which misses:
Mixed in here are just shots that are ill-advised or poorly executed; nothing major here, just an occasional shot that should perhaps be reconsidered, such as this contested jumpshot inside:
Coming off the screen, Saraf takes a long two which ends in an airball:
Saraf does enjoy his step-back/side-step jumpers, and is prone to a miss on these:
Saraf can sometimes get called for some offensive foul turnovers which contribute to 2.7 turnovers per game, which is a notable amount of turnovers for someone who plays 23 minutes a game.
These can include charge turnovers:
And travel turnovers, this one in particular was extremely costly as it came in the point of the game where it basically consigned Ulm to defeat:
We haven’t really mentioned three-point shooting yet, it’s more so going to be a discussion than looking at film, and we’ll cover this a little later in the conclusion.
Passing/playmaking
Saraf averages 4.3 assists per game and possesses a solid combination of vision, ability to see the pass and the means to make it. I wouldn’t say these are elite right now, but there are some good flashes of a good facilitator especially coming off of drives and in pick-and-roll.
Let’s look at some of the half-court playmaking first, beginning with this play where Saraf rejects the screen, drives inside, and finds his cutting teammate for an assist on the dunk at the rim:
This possession Saraf does utilize the screen and draws the defense as he gets inside the paint before delivering the pass for the assist at the rim:
In the pick-and-roll with Essengue, Saraf elects not to use his roll man and delivers a good pass, spotting the shooter in the corner who can’t convert on this occasion:
Another pick-and-roll play with Essengue this time, who doesn’t initially roll to the rim but eventually makes the cut, from which Saraf zips the ball into the path of Essengue for the assist:
This is a decent sample of Saraf’s playmaking abilities in the halfcourt, let’s look at some of his work in open court.
Off of a miss, Saraf can push in transition and does well not to deliver the pass ahead too soon, waiting for the defender to step up to him before finding his teammate for the assist in transition:
Off of another miss, Saraf is promptly delivered the ball and pushes in transition, leading the defense to believe he’s going to the rim himself, and Saraf delivers the pass to the wing for a successful assist on the three:
Turnovers that Saraf can get sucked into include passes in traffic, such as this play as he probes along the baseline:
On this play, Saraf tries to loop a pass inside but misjudges the trajectory, and it’s deflected for the turnover:
And sometimes a lack of polish, such as this attempted entry pass which runs away quickly for the turnover:
Defense
Defensively, Saraf appeared to be hidden away off the ball a bit but let’s look at some of his positive defensive moments. Look, these aren’t going to be especially high end, which will give you an indication of what we’re working with here.
On this play, Saraf does his part to help partially contain a drive and forcing a pass:
A better job sticking with the drive on this play, even if there are defenders in close proximity Saraf does well here:
Some good rotations from Saraf here helps prevent easy baskets at the rim and force passes out of the drive:
A good steal here from Saraf as he gets his hand in on the entry pass:
Right, that’s about where the mildly positive stuff ends.
Off the dribble, Saraf’s defense and, frankly, his effort/desire to stay in front of his man leave something to be desired at times.
Here, Saraf is easily beaten out front, forcing the rotation behind him and the kick out to the perimeter leads to an open three-pointer:
From the wing, Saraf is undone by the quick move and is beaten, forcing a foul from a teammate behind him to prevent the basket:
Again on the wing, Yam Madar is able to get by Saraf off the dribble and scores at the rim:
On the drive, Saraf is squeezed ahead and his man scores at the rim:
After a jittery start on the defensive drive, Saraf is able to contain the drive, but a lapse in concentration allows his man to cut behind him and sneak in for the offensive rebound and foul:
Saraf is also prone to committing fouls defensively, which don’t help his cause.
On the drive from the perimeter, Saraf settles for a foul:
On the drive by, Saraf tries to get a dig in but slaps the arm of the offensive player and is called for the foul as the basket is made:
Here, Saraf tries to go for a steal and commits a foul in the process:
In summary
Ben Saraf, compared to Noa Essengue, is a prospect that can provide a little more production right now but faces fair questions about potential upside. Physically, Saraf is solid off the dribble in terms of his pace and displays decent athleticism but not explosive. At 19 years old, again, the production in a professional league is impressive.
Offensively, Saraf is solid in getting to the rim/getting downhill, whether it’s off his own steam or using screen assistance. When he’s going to his favored side, he’s a solid finisher at the rim but I think does struggle using his off hand or dribbling into his weaker side and seems reluctant to do so. And when traffic arrives he can struggle to finish/adapt to finish --; his finishing will require more finesse.
In the full court, Saraf is a threat and can push up the floor in a hurry. I enjoyed Saraf’s jumpshooting at times — not so much from three-point range but the optimism in Saraf improving as a three-point would be that there are a lot of long twos in his game and he connects well on those, so dialing him back a couple of feet and refining those shots I think is certainly within the realms of possibility for Saraf to improve his three-point shooting. His release and shot profile could use improvement; Saraf attempts quite a few off balance shots which struggle for consistency.
Saraf is a good passer with good vision and is willing to get his teammates involved. Being able to get into the lane/attack off the dribble opens up opportunities for him to collapse the defense and pick out opportunities for teammates. Similarly, in the open court in transition, Saraf does well to find opportunities for his teammates. At times Saraf tries to insert passes into a crowd and it ends in a turnover, but overall Saraf is a good and willing passer. It’s not top tier but certainly serviceable.
Defensively is the area of the court I have the most concerns about. Ulm appeared to try and hide Saraf where possible, and he can be easily beaten off the dribble. Saraf could definitely apply a bit more effort defensively because he does move well and can stick in front of a drive. However, some silly fouls can creep in.
Overall, I’m worried defensively about Saraf and it is a lot harder to hide in man-to-man scheme compared to the zone, which Ulm utilize.
What do other outlets report?
Draft outlets appear to have a less favorable view of Saraf compared to Essengue, with Sam Vecenie of The Athletic mocks Saraf 29th overall, with this to add:
Saraf is on Ulm in Germany with Essengue and is a bit more decorated than his French teammate. He won MVP of the Under-18 European Championships this past summer while putting together one of the best scoring performances in the event’s history. Since then, he’s been a bit up and down. He’s averaging 12.1 points and 4.3 assists this season while shooting 45 percent from the field because he’s excellent with his gathers on drives and sharp with his midrange game, but he also has games when he’ll miss several shots and look out of sorts if teams fight to take away his left hand. He’s extremely dominant on that wing, and he needs to continue adding to his overall handle package.
The Suns could use more playmaking and ballhandling across the court, and Saraf’s combo-guard tendencies in addition to his passing vision would be a strong fit.
The mid-range something is an element of Saraf’s game that perhaps I didn’t give enough credit for; he’s good at getting to those mid-range spots and hitting them, and he’s got a impressive high-arcing shot. Vecenie also notes the difficulties in Saraf’s offense is his left hand is taken away, which is one of my concerns for Saraf — one of the tougher challenges you can face is being predictable, and if your strong side is taken away...then what?
The Ringer appear to be a lot higher on Saraf as a prospect, projecting Saraf going 26th overall, with quite a bit to say, as written by Danny Chau:
Name a pass, any pass. Saraf has it in his bag. Crosscourt wraparounds. No-look, over-the-shoulder, hanging midair overhead passes. Not to mention every variant of a pocket pass out of a pick-and-roll—arguably the one skill that he’s better at than any other player in the draft. At just 18 years old, Saraf is a high-usage initiator in the Bundesliga, one of the best leagues in Europe, and coming off a dominant summer in the FIBA youth tournament circuit. The raw production across different levels of competition at such a young age is encouraging. His aesthetic as a southpaw combo guard is immediately familiar—there are any number of immediate stylistic comparisons to draw from, both positive and damning. Comps to Goran Dragic, a fellow lefty driver, make themselves, and since Saraf is also a youngster gaining valuable reps on Ratiopharm Ulm, the ghost of Killian Hayes haunts him.
A quick interjection here before we carry on — I’m not as high on Saraf as a passer here in the variety of ways The Ringer describe is but would certainly agree that as a pick-and-roll passer Saraf is impressive. Let’s continue with Chau’s analysis:
Generating separation as a ball handler is king, and despite how effective Saraf has been at getting to the rim in Europe, there will be questions about how he’ll create his advantages in the NBA. (He has good size on paper but often plays smaller than his listed height, which could limit his viability as a wing on either side of the ball.) He’s a natural when it comes to changing speeds and directions, and he has a strong first step on drives. But there is an impossibly high threshold for on-ball creators in terms of generating paint touches. He likely won’t get where he wants with speed, but there is an avenue for him should he build up his strength to take full advantage of his excellent deceleration ability on drives. What last-step explosiveness he lacks could be mitigated by creating space through bumps and step-throughs. While he was tasked with plenty of on-ball reps in Ulm, it’s not difficult to imagine Saraf as more of an off-ball cutter at the next level, given his ability to read space and make snap decisions against a tilted defense. Darting along the baseline from the corners, crossing the court on Iverson cuts—Saraf’s size and passing tool kit afford him a multitude of playmaking outlets.
Obviously Saraf may not be able to utilize his speed as often or find as much success with it in the NBA, and that could be a cause for concern as to how he might thrive offensively because with his three-point shooting below par right now, he’s going to be very reliant and making those pick-and-roll/mid-range jumpers. As Chau references — and we saw with a clip or two — Saraf can shift up and down through the gears and this may certainly help lull some of the weaker defenders in the NBA if he comes over.
Let’s wrap up from Chau:
As ever, shooting better would also help. He’s been an inconsistent 3-point shooter at best, across all stages of play, which could create a sort of no-man’s-land against more athletic competition. Saraf’s knack for getting clean looks on midrange pull-ups is encouraging, but there probably aren’t too many teams looking to build around that as a fixture in an offense. Still, there is a clarity to Saraf’s game that teams in the back end of the lottery could appreciate—the areas for improvement are apparent, and any progress made in those realms can open up his nuanced playmaking.
I would agree with that closing sentiment in that there’s a greater comfort here with Saraf than Essengue when it comes to an identity/clarity of an overall package. You kind of know what you’re going to get with Saraf, whereas I have no clue what sort of player Essengue is going to develop into. It’s odd, because Essengue I would say has little polish or identity to his game and is projected many spots higher than Saraf, who it is easier to conclude where his strengths lie. Less really is more in the NBA Draft at times.
ESPN, meanwhile, mock Saraf in the second round at 32nd overall with nothing to add to the selection.
Fit with the Hawks
Based on the projections, Saraf would appear to be in play with the Hawks’ 22nd overall selection, and could be a more immediate option for production, which the Hawks could certainly use with their draft selections this season.
Saraf is a little more ‘ready to play’ than some other prospects in this spot and has already proved he could do so in a professional capacity, so he could provide some value in a backup guard capacity — a position that they clearly needed some production last season with Kobe Bufkin out. However, 22nd would seem to be a little high to select Saraf based on the intel that appears to be out there on how Saraf is viewed.