Tops in Europe for his age: 17-year old Ben Saraf’s incredible stats

By Moshe Halickman

Dec 19, 2023 | Holyland Hoops

Ben Saraf is beginning to come into his own as the 17-year old has been a key part of Kiryat Ata’s terrific 3-1 start and is averaging 11 points, 4.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game. This past Sunday’s matchup against Hapoel Beer Sheva saw Saraf dish our 8 assists, while scoring 11 points and grabbing 5 boards in yet another victory for head coach Sharon Avrahami’s team.

There is no question that the 17-year old has turned heads in the Holy Land and that Saraf is in a very unique class among those around Europe in his age group whether it’s the Spanish, Italian, French, German, Greek, Turkish, Lithuanian or Adriatic league.

While there are some 17-year olds in the continent who are getting roughly the same amount of playing time but no one is near putting up the numbers that Saraf has over the beginning of the 2023/24 season. Ismaila Diagne who plays for Real Madrid became the youngest starter for the team at the tender age of 16 as he did so in the Classico and contributed 9 points and 8 rebounds in the win. In there games so far in the ACB League, Diang is averaging 6.7 points, 5.7 boards and 1.3 blocks in 15 minutes of play.

🤯16 AÑOS

¡QUÉ AUTÉNTICA LOCURA, ISMAILA DIAGNE!

📺 @MovistarPlus #LigaEndesa | @ismad0415 #ListosParaRomperla pic.twitter.com/zmJiJkgseJ

— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) October 1, 2023

Next up is Bassala Bagayoko who plies his trade for Fuenlabrada who has become the youngest player ever to take to the floor as a 14-year old in a Spanish League game. Now at 17 years old age the XX is averaging 6.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 17.4 minutes over the course of 7 games.

Yet another Real Madrid player Hugo Gonzalez is checking in with 3.3 points in a shade under 7 minutes per game in 7 contests which included a 12 point game against Rio Breogan. The 17-year old ironically made his Euroleague debut against Maccabi Tel Aviv and scored 2 points in Real’s victory last month.

The last player of interest is 17-year old Neoklis Avdalas who is playing for Karditsas in Greece and over the course of 9 games he is averaging 3.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 13.1 minutes.

The bottom line is what Saraf is doing so far is simply extraordinary even on a European scale and there is really no effect that the Israeli league has probably dropped in its level of play as a result of the security situation. The Israeli league is still relatively strong and in leagues more or less at its level, there is no one who is doing what Saraf is doing. Playing in the NBA seems quite possible and no one should be surprised if Saraf is selected in the first round should he enter the 2025 draft. He just needs to keep it up.