Though it took a few picks longer than expected, Danny Wolf realized his NBA dream Wednesday night. The standout Michigan forward was taken 27th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Below, see how national publications graded Brooklyn for picking the 7-footer at 27, and their analysis on the big man's fit with his new team.
CBS Sports — B-plus
"Wolf is highly skilled at nearly 7-feet tall, especially as a ball handler and passer. He was Michigan's primary initiator for significant stretches last season and was a real playmaker. He has terrific hands and terrific touch and his ability to pass the ball is very rare at his size. He didn't shoot it well from outside in college, a common theme with the picks from the Nets in Round 1. There are also questions about his defense."
Sports Illustrated — A-minus
"The Nets somewhat surprisingly made all five first-round picks, rounding out a massive class with Wolf, perhaps the most unique player in this draft. He's a jumbo 7-foot ballhandler that can really pass and has a crafty offensive game. He likely won't get the same freedom in the NBA as he did in college, but Brooklyn clearly valued his size and feel for the game."
USA Today — B-plus
"The Nets clearly valued size and playmaking in their talent evaluation process. Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf are all great passers. Each of those players have wingspans of at least 6-foot-8, and, aside from Traoré, each measured at least 6-foot-6 barefoot. Wolf is not a natural five in the NBA, but this late in the first round, it's a fun experiment for the Nets. "
Yahoo — B
"He's a unique, funky ball-handler. It's clear in the Nets' draft that they want players of all sizes to be able to handle the rock. Wolf is 6-foot-11 but ran point for Michigan, playing a slick style with risky passes and step-back jumpers that made him a highlight factory. But he's also a turnover machine and his shooting numbers are shaky, making him more of a raw bet who needs time to prove he can match his flash with substance."
Bleacher Report — B
"So, the Nets not only made all five of their first-round picks, but they've now invested four of them in playmakers. At least Danny Wolf is an obvious break from the mold, since he's a legitimate big man who just so happens to have some off-the-dribble shake and court vision in his bag. Oh, he might even have a jumper, too, although that's sort of still being figured out. A late growth spurt pushed Wolf from the backcourt to the frontcourt, and he brought most of his guard skills along for the ride. He has impressive handles and vision, particularly for a 6'11", 252-pounder. The Wolverines essentially used him as a jumbo-sized guard, and he averaged their second-most assists (3.6) and fourth-most three-pointers (1.0) per game.
"Fit will be paramount to his success, though, because there are questions about whether he's a good enough creator to operate as a playmaking 4 or a good enough paint protector to man the middle. Athletically, he's a fluid mover, but he's not explosive, so he'll get tested early and often until he proves he can hang. His shooting potential is unknown, too, as his mechanics look good, but his percentages don't (33.6 percent from three, 64.6 percent at the line over three collegiate seasons)."
The Athletic — No grade
"Wolf is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft class given the direction of the modern NBA. The goal in today's league is to get as much skill and size on the court as possible. Offensively, you want to make the defense cover as much ground as you can. Then on defense, you want to be able to cover as much ground against the offense as possible. Unsurprisingly, the bigger players get, the harder it is to find guys who are skilled enough to allow you to play five-out on offense. Wolf has a standing reach over 9 feet, possesses guard skills and isn't a total stiff defensively.
"And yet, there are significant flaws. His turnover rate is sky high, which tends to be a bad indicator. His needs to iron out inconsistencies in his jumper. Then defensively, he might not be quick enough to guard effectively once he reaches the NBA level, with increased space in driving lanes and a wider court to cover.
"Drafting Wolf is a risk. There is a chance that his game just doesn't quite work out at the next level. But given how hard it is to find skilled players like him, and given their value if their defense ends up being even remotely tenable, I'm probably going to be higher on Wolf than consensus. I believe that NBA teams need a five-out look to win a title in today's era. Wolf might not be perfect, but the upside of betting on him hitting is worth the gamble. There are some Naz Reid-style outcomes to his game if his development goes right over the next few years."