Ben Saraf was in Germany playing for a championship when his phone started buzzing with congratulations. Danny Wolf was in New York’s Green Room, fighting back tears as his name slipped down the draft board. Within five minutes Wednesday night, both Israeli players became Brooklyn Nets after being selected 26th and 27th overall.
Saraf, still suiting up for German club Ratiopharm Ulm, had good reason to miss the draft festivities. His team is locked in a winner-takes-all Game 5 of the German league finals against Bayern Munich, with the series tied 2-2. The 19-year-old point guard has led Ulm’s remarkable run to the championship, averaging 12.8 points and 4.6 assists in nearly 25 minutes per game in EuroCup play.
Born in South Africa and raised in the rural village of Gan Yoshiya near Tel Aviv, Saraf comes from basketball royalty. Both parents were former professional players. His father Yedid played for Bnei Herzliya, while his mother Ela competed for Israel’s women’s national team. His favorite NBA player is Luka Dončić, and he wears No. 77 because it represents the Jewish numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word for luck.
Saraf began his professional career at just 16 with Elitzur Netanya in Israel’s second division, averaging 14 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3 assists. After a stellar season with Elitzur Kiryat Ata in the Israeli Premier League, where he was named Rising Star, he made the bold leap to Germany’s Bundesliga.
Meanwhile, Wolf’s draft night turned into an emotional roller coaster. The 21-year-old Michigan center from Glencoe, Illinois, was projected to go much earlier, potentially in the lottery, but watched as his name kept getting passed over. When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver finally called his name at 27th overall, Wolf could barely contain himself.
“It’s a dream come true,” Wolf told reporters afterward, standing alongside his beaming parents. “It’s really hard to put into words. I’ve worked so hard to get here, I’ve had such a great support system.”
The seven-footer had transferred to Michigan for the 2024-25 season after two standout years at Yale, where he became a second-team All-Big Ten selection, leading the conference in rebounds per game and double-doubles.
In 2024, Wolf acquired Israeli citizenship to compete for Israel’s under-20 team at the European Championships where he helped Israel win a silver medal, averaging 17.7 points and a tournament-high 12.0 rebounds per game.
Marking the first time two Israeli players have ever joined the same NBA franchise, both are expected to sign four-year contracts with the first two years guaranteed. Alongside Saraf and Wolf, the Nets drafted three other players in the first round: Yegor Demin (8th), Nolan Traore (19th), and Drake Powell (22nd) to fill out the team’s revamped roster under new head coach Jordi Fernandez.
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