A year ago, Danny Wolf transferred from Yale to his dream basketball program. And Wednesday night, the standout Michigan forward saw another dream come true, as he was selected 27th overall in the first round of Wednesday's 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets.
Wolf, a Chicagoland native who grew up a Michigan fan, averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game in his lone season with the Wolverines. The 7-footer is expected to play power forward at the next level, and his positional versatility for his height made him a draw to NBA teams.
Wolf was a green room invite projected to go in the top 20 picks by many publications, but fell before being picked by the host team.
The selection gives Michigan a whopping 12 first-round NBA Draft selections since 2013, and 17 overall NBA Draft picks in that time frame.
After two productive seasons at Yale, including making first-team All-Ivy League as a sophomore, Wolf transferred to childhood favorite, Michigan. He joined a loaded frontcourt that also included Vlad Goldin, and spent the summer transitioning to a power forward role so the duo could both be on the court at the same time.
As Wolf made the transition, excitement grew inside the program that Wolf could be a draft-caliber prospect, and that manifested in a strong junior season. He tied for the Big Ten lead with 15 double-doubles, and was the only player 6-foot-10 or taller to average at least 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in a season. He led the Big Ten in rebounds, while shooting 49.7 percent from the field, including 32.8 percent from 3 on 113 attempts.
He was named second-team All-Big Ten by media and coaches, first team by the AP, and was named to the Big Ten's all-tournament team after averaging 15.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in wins over Purdue, Maryland and Wisconsin to lead Michigan to the tournament crown. Shortly after helping lead Michigan to a Sweet Sixteen berth and scoring 20 points in the Wolverines' season-ending loss, Wolf declared for the NBA Draft.
A former wing player who enjoyed a late growth spurt in high school, Wolf's market efficiency compared to other 7-footers during the draft evaluation process was his high-level ball-handling and passing ability. There was not a 7-footer in college basketball as adept at passing and rebounding at his height this past season, and his ability to take the ball up the court as a point forward off of defensive rebounds helped Michigan play fast, and create favorable mismatches on offense.
That translates well to the increasingly position-less NBA, where several teams boast 7-foot players on the wing and perimeter. In that vein, his 3-point shooting is also a plus, even if it he went through hot and cold streaks during Michigan's season. Scouts will also like his basketball IQ, and his ability to switch positions in essentially one offseason to help the team isn't going unnoticed.
Ultimately, he is the kind of tall, versatile and high-potential prospect that NBA teams love to draft as long-term forwards in the back half of the first round. That he only turned 21 in May is a bonus.
Though there are minor concerns about Wolf's turnovers (he was seventh nationally with 120 turnovers last season) and shooting consistency, Wolf's game has markedly improved each season since arriving on a collegiate campus. And after a strong season with the Wolverines, Wolf will try to continue that upward trajectory in the NBA.