The Brooklyn Nets drafted Israeli guard Ben Saraf with the 26th pick in this year’s NBA draft, immediately followed by Israeli-American forward Danny Wolf at number 27.
This marks the first occasion two Jewish players have been picked in the same round by one NBA franchise, and only the second time ever that two players holding Israeli citizenship will be teammates in the league. Brooklyn held a record-setting five first-round selections during this year’s draft event, hosted at their home court, Barclays Center.
Saraf, 19, was unable to attend the draft in person because he is still competing overseas with his German team, Ratiopharm Ulm, in the Bundesliga Finals.
They are only the second set of NBA teammates to have Israeli citizenship. The first Israeli teammates in the NBA were Jordan Farmar and Omri Casspi on the Sacramento Kings in 2016.
Wolf, 21, sat with his family members at Barclays Center. During a live TV interview, when his mother referred to the Nets as a “New York” team, Wolf quietly corrected her by mouthing the word “Brooklyn.” His brother Jake was in tears — a quick shot of Jake shown on the broadcast has since gone viral.
Ben Saraf
The 6’6’’ Saraf made an impact at the 2024 Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) Under 18 EuroBasket (also known as the European Basketball Championship), where he earned MVP honors an average of 28.1 points per game, along with 5.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals. He previously earned Rookie of the Year honors in the Israeli Premier League and averaged 12.8 points and 4.6 assists in EuroCup play for Ulm. He is the son of former Israeli professional basketball players Yadid Saraf and Ella Amir. His father played in Bnei Herzliya in the Israeli Basketball Premier League and his mother played for the Israeli National Team.
Danny Wolf
Wolf, a 7-footer originally from Glencoe, Illinois, near Chicago, transferred to Michigan after two seasons at Yale. He led the Wolverines to the Sweet 16, averaging 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, and shooting 33.6% from three-point range. In 2024, Wolf helped lead Israel’s U20 national team to a silver medal.
Wolf, who keeps kosher, celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall and attended a Jewish day school until fifth grade.
He described experiencing antisemitic hostility during his time at Yale, especially after the Oct. 7 attacks. He specifically recalled one game at Dartmouth when a crowd of roughly 80 people displayed Palestinian flags in the stands.
At the post-draft press conference, Wolf was asked about his connection with Saraf.
“It’s crazy, it still hasn’t really hit me yet,” Wolf said. “But I was supposed to play on the U-20 team with him when I played in 2023, and then ultimately he decided to play on the U-18 team. But I really got to spend some time with him there. We’ll communicate here and there over social media. From what I’ve heard, he’s an unbelievable kid. Just watching him, he makes the game look so easy, effortless. It’ll be really exciting and fun and a great opportunity to be with him and grow with him.”
“It’s crazy; it still hasn’t really hit me yet.” – Danny Wolf
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame celebrated the milestone following the draft. “Jewish hoops history made in the 2025 NBA Draft! Back-to-back picks for two rising stars to the Brooklyn Nets!” The Hall of Fame wrote on Instagram. “From Israel to Michigan, these guys are making moves, and we’re pumped to watch them shine in the league. Mazel tov, Ben and Danny!”
Saraf and Wolf are expected to debut for the Nets at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, with each projected to earn approximately $12 million across four seasons.
The Nets have played in Brooklyn since they relocated from Newark, New Jersey in 2012. New York’s Brooklyn borough alone has nearly 500,000 Jewish residents.
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