[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2025 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Ben Saraf
Frame: 6’6”, 200 lbs
Position: Guard
Team: Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
2025 Draft Age: 19
Stats via RealGM

Offense

Saraf is a big, creative guard with a distinctive change-of-pace game and high-level playmaking feel. He thrives in dynamic situations, capable of orchestrating offense on the fly with flair and improvisation. A crafty ballhandler, he mixes deceleration, hesitation, and unorthodox footwork to stunt defenders. His ability to manipulate tempo is arguably his most defining skill—using sudden slow-downs, wrong-foot finishes, and hang-time moves to manufacture advantages without elite burst.

Saraf can shake off defenders with stop-and-go, euro steps in slow motion, and misdirection spins. Though not an explosive leaper, he’s an aggressive driver who gets into the paint consistently and has shown prowess attacking after handoffs and reading gaps. His finishes are creative, though often unnecessarily difficult, with a tendency to complicate plays at the rim, partly due to his strong preference for his left hand. He almost exclusively drives left, and when forced right, typically pulls up rather than attacking the rim. His off-hand development is a key area for growth, as limited use of the right can lead to predictable sequences and defenses figuring him out too soon.

As a playmaker, Saraf shows impressive court vision, delivering live-dribble hook passes, no-look jump passes, and cross-court skips. He’s comfortable initiating offense out of the pick-and-roll, reading coverages to find open shooters or rolling bigs. His ability to control pace, pausing just long enough for cutters or shooters to get open, reflects strong feel and patience. He also contributes in off-ball actions, cutting decisively and setting screens.

Saraf’s shooting remains a question mark. He’s a streaky shooter with a high-arching, but slow release and inconsistent mechanics. His three-point volume is low for a guard, and his shots often look forced or overpowered. At the same time, he has a more capable pull-up game, especially elevating from mid-range after quick stops, but settles for contested looks more often than he should.

Defense

Saraf doesn’t profile as a standout defender physically, but his statistical defensive impact is better than it appears from the eye test. He allows only 0.8 points per shot on all defensive field goal attempts and 0.6 points per possession on a pick-and-roll. Saraf positions himself well at his size and uses his body to cut off driving lanes without fouling. 

While the German championship is not the most athletic one, Saraf is often used as a point-of-attack defender and knows how to apply pressure on a ball-handler, showing effort and awareness. His ability to read plays and rotate in help situations is advanced for his age and speaks to his high basketball IQ. Saraf shows good instincts, jumping passing lanes after traps, and can bait opponents by loosening pressure momentarily before striking from behind.

Saraf also holds his ground against post players better than expected, leveraging his frame to contest mid-range and post-up jumpers. Despite average lateral quickness and leaping ability, he contests shots consistently and is active on the glass, fighting for rebounds and showing a willingness to engage physically.

Looking Ahead

Ben Saraf plays with passion and poise beyond his age, directing teammates and showing floor-general qualities, orchestrating the German league’s best offense. He has the mindset of a primary initiator and shows the creativity and finesse to back it up. However, his tendency to overplay situations and up-and-down performance in crunch time reflects a need for continued maturity. He can also be mistake-prone in the heat of the moment, especially when defenders force him right. Still, his confidence and feel suggest long-term upside if paired with a development staff that helps refine his fundamentals.

Physically, Saraf doesn’t project as an explosive NBA athlete, but his size and intelligence give him a real chance to stick around. Saraf projects as a high-level backup or rotation guard with starter upside. His career trajectory may resemble Ricky Rubio’s, a cerebral player who makes the game bend to his tempo. If he rounds out his shooting and scoring efficiency, he could be even more, though that will require faith from a front office drafting him. 

The level of competition in the German league has offered him valuable reps and an opportunity to showcase his talents. Still, it has also raised questions about whether his shooting and athletic limitations translate to the NBA. Even so, Saraf’s blend of craft, vision, and IQ makes him one of the more interesting combo guards in the class.