The Israel Under-19 national basketball team departed for Europe on Friday, as it gets ready to participate in the FIBA U19 World Championship, beginning next Saturday, June 28, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In light of Operation “Rising Lion” FIBA had expressed great concern about the bue-and-white squad being able to leave the country and take part in the World Championship. The chairman of the Israel Basketball Association, Amos Frishman, held several talks with FIBA CEO Andreas Zagaklis and managed to obtain an additional extension in order to ensure that the team would be able to travel. Over the course of the 48 hours, Frishman held marathon talks with all relevant parties and finally the mission was successfully completed with the team’s departure from the Holy Land.
On Saturday, Israel will open the tournament against host Switzerland and for the time being it will be able to practice and prepare for the competition.
Frishman thanked a number of people who made it possible for the national team to be able to travel and participate in the FIBA U19 World Cup for the first time in the nation’s history.
Israeli team goes to World Championship
“In recent days, we have had one mission – to enable the team to go to the World Championship. I am happy that we accomplished this mission, which was not an easy one. I would like to thank Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar and the Minister of Transportation Miri Regev, as well as the other parties, who made sure that the Israel Under-19 National Team would be able to participate in the World Championship.
“As I have said throughout the past few days, the participation of the Israel team at the World Championship, especially during these challenging days, is of great importance in every way, and I am happy that everyone was able to come together and help out while understanding the magnitude of the event. All that remains is to wish the team the greatest of success, and I am sure that the players and staff will represent the country with honor.”
Israel’s World Championship squad has a number of players who took part in the Premier League as well as the Leumit League this past season, including a trio from Maccabi Tel Aviv in Yaron Goldman, Oren Sahar, and Omer Mayer. A pair of Maccabi youth players are also a part of the team in Tamir Gold and Gabriel Artmenko, while Miron Katz, Rani Belaga, Aviv Henkin, and Ariel Sela played in the country’s second division. Roy Sharon and Alon Danieli played in the youth league while Joul Karram was at college in the United States.
Ben Saraf, who was instrumental in helping the U19 squad advance to the World Championship, won’t take part in the U19 tournament as he is currently playing for Ulm who are in the German League finals against Bayern Munich and will then head to New York for the 2025 NBA Draft, which takes place this Wednesday.
On Saturday, Saraf delivered a standout performance just days before the draft, scoring 20 points to help Ratiopharm Ulm defeat Bayern Munich 81-79 in Game 3 of the German BBL Finals. Saraf added four rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 32 minutes, playing a crucial role in Ulm’s comeback and late-game execution.
With the best-of-five series now at 2-1 in Ulm’s favor, the team is just one win away from clinching the title, and Saraf, from entering the draft as a German league champion.
The 19-year-old’s timing couldn’t be better. His breakout showing, which included a key assist on Justinian Jessup’s go-ahead three-pointer with 19 seconds left, impressed not just German basketball fans but also NBA analysts. Several US commentators noted that Saraf’s name could become one of the biggest steals of the draft.
“NBA teams may regret not inviting Ben Saraf to the green room,” wrote one American outlet, praising his composure, court vision, and defensive versatility. Draft expert Brett Siegel described Saraf as “a uniquely intriguing prospect” with a wide draft range from the late first round to early second. Another NBA reporter, James Plowright, called him “the most talented player outside the top 20.”
The pressure is now on for Game 4, scheduled for Tuesday. If Ulm wins, Saraf could arrive at Thursday’s NBA Draft in New York as a freshly crowned league champion. However, if Bayern forces a Game 5, he may be forced to watch his draft fate unfold from Germany.
Either way, Saraf has shown he belongs on the radar.
The coaching staff is led by Sharon Avrahami, who was in charge of Hapoel Gilboa/ Galil last season, along with his assistants, Yoav Shenkman and Yoni Funt.
Israel was drawn into Group C at the World Championship with host Switzerland, Jordan, and the Dominican Republic. All teams will advance to the knockout round after the group stage, just like at the annual European Championships.
Alongside the Under-19 National Team, Yael Arad, the Chairperson of the Olympic Committee and an IOC member, was also slated to leave for Lausanne for the coronation of the new President of the Olympic Committee, former Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry, and bid farewell to the outgoing President, Thomas Bach.
Arad will be present at a special event for IOC members and the heads of the world’s leading sports federations, an event that constitutes a summit conference of sports leaders, and at this time, Israeli presence is even more important than ever.
“The athletes’ departure is an important statement by the Minister of Sports and the State of Israel that Israeli sports constitute an incomparably important arena for representing the Israeli spirit and the people of Israel,” noted Arad. “In these complex days, the presence of Israeli athletes in the most senior championships proves not only Israeli excellence but also the resilience of our people.
“We want to thank a number of parties – the Ministry of Sports, Transportation and the Committee of Directors – who mobilized and through hard work in recent days behind the scenes, created a mechanism that allows for the continuity of Israel’s representation in world sports. These days, the importance is clearer than ever. We will continue to raise the Israeli flag to the glory of the State of Israel.”
Arad continued: “I personally want to thank our members at the IOC who are closely following the situation and accompanying us in the struggle that has been experienced in the realm of Israeli sports during the war and are strengthening us in a very moving way. My trip to the presidential exchange ceremony is another opportunity to strengthen the status of Israeli sports in the world arena.”