Ben Saraf
Ben Avraham Saraf, born on April 14, 2006, in Johannesburg, South Africa, is an Israeli professional basketball player. His parents, both Israeli, were in South Africa for his father’s work in the diamond industry. The family returned to Israel when Saraf was three years old, and he grew up in Moshav Gan Yoshiya, in the Emek Hefer Regional Council. His mother, Ella Amir Sharaf, also played basketball for the Israeli women’s national team. He attended Ramot Yam Emek Hefer High School. Saraf holds Israeli nationality. Saraf plays as a point guard or shooting guard for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He shoots left-handed. He was selected by the Brooklyn Nets in the 1st round (26th overall pick) of the 2025 NBA Draft and is considered a rookie. He wears jersey number 77 for the Nets. His height is 1.98 m and his weight is 91 kg. Before joining the NBA, Saraf had a career in the Israeli basketball leagues. He played for Elitzur Netanya in 2022-2023 and for Elitzur Kiryat Ata in 2023-2024. His career highlights include being named the Israeli Premier League Rising Star in 2024, the Israeli National League Sixth Man of the Year in 2023, and the Israeli National League Rising Star in 2023. He also won the FIBA U18 European Championship MVP title in 2024. Saraf’s professional career began in 2022. He was with Ratiopharm Ulm in 2025 before joining the Brooklyn Nets. According to current information, there is no mention of a college career for Ben Saraf, indicating that he likely transitioned to professional basketball directly or through other development programs. His early career was marked by significant achievements in various Israeli basketball leagues and international youth competitions, culminating in his NBA draft selection.
