What Omer Mayer's Commitment to Purdue Following Nike Hoop Summit Means

Ben Saraf, the Israeli point guard who is still seen as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by plenty of draft aficionados, decided to leave Israel last summer for an opportunity with Ratiopharm Ulm. The German club is one of the best development programs in European basketball. They give playing time to youngsters, which helped both Killian Hayes and Pacome Dadiet become first-round picks, and have invested resources in development facilities and staffing.

Saraf’s decision to join Ulm also made sense because their starting point guard from the previous season, Juan Nunez, who was a second-round draft and stash, left to join EuroLeague club Barcelona. This paved the way for Saraf to start and carry his impressive summer play with the Israeli national team to the club level and potentially become a lottery selection.

That reality has not panned out, though. After a decent start, Saraf’s efficiency has taken a dive. He has struggled to create for himself, and his jump shooting has mostly been below average. He’s still seen as a first-round pick, but the second round seems more likely than the lottery. With Saraf’s struggles likely taken into consideration, Omer Mayer - another young Israeli point guard prospect - has opted to take another path for the upcoming season and has committed to Purdue.

Mayer’s commitment to Purdue came after a strong showing at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit, where he put up seven assists against Team USA. Mayer’s performance was less discussed due to Dame Sarr and Bogoljub Markovic, two potential 2025 NBA Draft selections, putting on strong performances as well.

Mayer was a known name heading into the Summit as well. He made eight appearances, averaging eight minutes per game, for EuroLeague club Maccabi Tel Aviv this season. In a Round 27 matchup against Fenerbahce, Mayer scored seven points and dished six assists. In the last game of the season against Bayern Munich, he finished with 11 points and three assists.

Mayer is 6-foot-4 and solid, showing good on-ball strength, balance, and body control. He’s skilled at navigating ball screens, a good passer, and looks like he could explode as a shooter and be a real offensive threat for the Boilermakers next season. With Purdue, he’ll be able to learn from Braden Smith, who has improved each season of his own collegiate career and might also be able to play next to him, giving Matt Painter a chance to play two dynamic pick-and-roll creators together.

Mayer is a great pickup by Purdue, and if he continues on the growth trajectory he’s shown the last couple of seasons he could be making a great impact as a freshman next season. He’ll be 19 at the start of the season, with plenty of upside for them to tap into.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.