ESPN Projects Miami Heat To Draft International Point Guard

In this year's NBA draft, the Miami Heat could be targeting a point guard with professional experience.

With international players like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic finding significant success in the NBA, a prospect who faced the rigors of overseas basketball might be an ideal fit for the Heat. ESPN compiled a lists of top first-round draft options based on team needs, and German point guard Ben Saraf was identified as the player who best addresses Miami's biggest shortcomings.

The Heat lack a reliable primary point guard, and Saraf's experience initiating an offense at the professional level could benefit the team's win-now aspirations, while also making him a valuable player to develop for the future.

"The Heat don't have a great deal of shot creation or playmaking they can point to on their current roster, making the point guard position a clear priority this offseason," ESPN wrote. "Saraf has excellent size, pace and creativity at 6-6, playing a big role for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, with an especially impressive playoff campaign to date. His strong instincts on both ends of the floor (combined with his youth) give him intriguing upside he can tap into long term."

This past season with Ratiopharm Ulm, Saraf averaged 11.6 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field. Although his outside shooting remains a work in progress, hitting just 33.8 percent of his three-point attempts, he's shown enough promise to be considered a potential long-term building block.

Saraf could be another hidden gem at the Heat's No. 20 pick, much like Nikola Jovic, whom the team drafted in 2022.

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