By: Jerome Brookshire

As the NBA turns the page from Oklahoma City’s championship triumph to its annual rite of passage for future stars—the 2025 Draft at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center—all eyes in Israel are fixed on two young men standing on the brink of basketball history. For the first time in five years, two Israeli players are eligible for selection: Danny Wolf, the towering center-forward from the University of Michigan, and Ben Saraf, a dynamic young guard making waves in the German Bundesliga.

According to a report at Ynet News, the anticipation surrounding the Israeli pair has stirred excitement throughout the Israeli sports community, with the possibility of both being drafted in the same year signaling a milestone moment for the country’s basketball legacy.

Among the 24 prospects invited to sit in the NBA’s coveted “green room” for high-projected draftees, Danny Wolf stands tall—literally and figuratively. At 2.13 meters (7 feet), the 21-year-old Israeli-American center has rapidly emerged as a legitimate first-round contender. ESPN projects Wolf as the 22nd overall pick, a position that would secure him a guaranteed two-year NBA contract.

As Ynet News reported, Wolf’s journey has been as methodical as it is impressive. A silver medalist with Israel’s U-20 national team at the 2023 European Championships, Wolf transferred from Yale to the University of Michigan to elevate his profile. It was a decision that paid dividends: he posted season averages of 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, and helped guide the Wolverines to the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 16.

Wolf’s court vision, passing ability, and high basketball IQ—traits rarely attributed to players of his size—make him an alluring prospect for NBA teams seeking versatile big men in a league increasingly defined by floor-spacing and ball movement. As Ynet News noted in a profile earlier this week, Wolf is not merely a paint-bound bruiser, but a “modern center with classic fundamentals.”

His invitation to the Barclays Center’s green room is more than ceremonial; it reflects the confidence scouts and executives have in his NBA readiness. A first-round selection would make him only the third Israeli to be drafted that high, following Omri Casspi in 2009 and Deni Avdija in 2020.

If Wolf’s path is a steady climb, Ben Saraf’s has been more of a thrilling sprint—albeit one facing a hurdle at the final turn. At just 19 years old and standing 1.98 meters (6’6”), Scharf’s résumé is already decorated. He was the top scorer and MVP at the European U-18 Championship and earned Ynet News’ recognition as the Israeli Premier League’s top young player for the 2023–24 season.

This year, Saraf took his talents to Germany, suiting up for Hall in the Bundesliga and helping lead them to the league finals. His averages of 12.3 points and 4.2 assists per game underscore his well-rounded guard play, though a subpar Game 4 performance against Bayern Munich—just 6 points on 2-of-10 shooting—may have slightly dented his draft momentum.

As the Ynet News report pointed out, timing is everything. ESPN now places Saraf at the precarious 31st position—just one slot outside the first round, and just one slot short of a guaranteed contract. The distinction is significant: while first-rounders receive secured deals, second-round picks are not guaranteed a roster spot and may find themselves in the G League or back in Europe.

Nonetheless, the potential is undeniable. Saraf’s explosive first step, court awareness, and defensive tenacity have impressed scouts, many of whom see him as a high-upside project. “He plays like a veteran and thinks like a coach,” one European scout told Ynet News this week. “He’s the kind of guard you build a second unit around.”

For Israeli basketball, the 2025 NBA Draft represents more than the aspirations of two individuals—it is a referendum on the sport’s development within the country. As the Ynet News report noted, the emergence of Wolf and Saraf in the same draft cycle speaks volumes about the growing depth of Israeli talent at the global level.

Their respective ascents also reflect different developmental paths: Wolf through the American collegiate system and Saraf through domestic and European pro leagues. Both routes are increasingly seen as viable pipelines for Israeli players with NBA dreams.

In Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, fans are expected to gather at sports bars and stay up into the early hours (the draft begins at 3:00 a.m. local time) to watch what could be a watershed moment. If both players hear their names called, it will mark only the second time multiple Israelis were selected in the same draft.

Whether Danny Wolf lands in the first round as projected or Ben Saraf sneaks into the top 30—or both—tonight’s draft is poised to add new chapters to the evolving story of Israeli basketball. It is a story punctuated by adversity and ambition, by youth and resilience, and by the unwavering pursuit of excellence on a global stage.

As the Ynet News report put it, “For Israeli sports fans, this isn’t just a draft night—it’s a statement night. A statement that Israeli talent belongs in the world’s best basketball league, and that the journey from Herzliya or Haifa to the hardwood floors of the NBA is no longer a dream, but a plan.”