Ulm in basketball fever: final threatened by NBA draft!

Ulm in basketball fever: final threatened by NBA draft!

An exciting chapter for basketball in Ulm is coming to an end: The ratiopharm Ulm team won against Würzburg 91:84 and thus played its way into the final of the German championship with a 3-1 win in the series. The final start is planned for Sunday at 6 p.m. in the SAP Garden in Munich. But behind this success lies a very special challenge that not only affects the team, but also two talented players.

How Ulm News reported, ratiopharm Ulm has applied to the easyCredit BBL to adjust the final schedule. The reason? The dates for games 4 and 5 of the final series coincide exactly with the NBA draft, in which the two players Noa Essengue and Ben Saraf will take part. This collision could pose a dilemma for the two talents as they have to choose between fighting for the national title and entering the NBA.

A promising draft

Ben Saraf, a 19-year-old guard from Israel, could play a crucial role. Not only is he known as a ratiopharm Ulm player, but he is also on the verge of potentially becoming the first Israeli to be selected in the NBA draft. This season, Saraf has shown impressive performances, averaging 12.5 points per game and solid shooting percentages: 45.8% from the field and 75.7% from the free throw line. However, there is still room for improvement in his game, particularly in his consistency on three-point shots and his handling of pressure situations.

The draft predictions for Saraf are promising: Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has him at 29th overall, while The Ringer even bumps him up to 26th. ESPN, on the other hand, has him ranked 32nd in the second round. Particularly exciting is the possibility that Saraf could be considered for the Atlanta Hawks at 22nd overall, where he could make an immediate difference as a backup guard.

The challenge for ratiopharm Ulm

The challenge for ratiopharm Ulm is clear: those responsible are optimistic that the easyCredit BBL and FC Bayern Basketball will find a solution. It would be sad if the young talents had to choose between their dream of the NBA and the chance to win a title. After all, ratiopharm Ulm has consistently produced NBA talent in recent years and is only behind Bayern Munich in Germany in this regard.

With players like Pacome Diadet and Juan Nunez drafted in 2024, the club has an impressive track record that will look to continue this year. The finals are just around the corner and during an exciting basketball season we can only hope that both ratiopharm Ulm's title dreams and Saraf and Essengue's NBA dreams can come true.