Nets big man Danny Wolf lasted until the No. 27 pick in the June draft and he’ll use that as motivation the rest of his career, he told Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“Obviously, I’d be faulted to say I don’t have a chip on my shoulder to not only prove others wrong and prove teams or guys picked ahead of me wrong and just prove myself right, that I know what I can become,” Wolf said. “I’m going to have that chip on my shoulder as long as I’m in this league. … So I use it [for] motivation, but all I’m going to do is work, as I have done.”
The biggest concern regarding Wolf coming out of Michigan was his ability to defend at the NBA level. He’s shown thus far that he can more than hold his own at that end.
“There were a lot of questions from teams and front offices as to who I could guard. I took that as a chip on my shoulder to prove that I can more than guard in this league,” Wolf said. “But it’s a work in progress, and I need to continue to get quicker and stronger.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
Michael Porter Jr. is posting career-high numbers and the New York Daily News’ C.J. Holmes uses more advanced statistic measures to lay out Porter’s All-Star case. However, the fact that Porter is playing for a rebuilding club certainly hinders his chances. Holmes notes the Nets are 6-3 when Porter scores 30 or more. “I mean, just look at what we look like when he’s on the court versus when he’s not on the court,” center Nic Claxton said. “He does so much. He creates so many opportunities for himself, for other teammates. His averages are off the charts, so he definitely should be an All-Star.” Porter is averaging 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
Former Michigan State forward Joey Hauser, brother of the Celtics’ Sam Hauser, is a video assistant with the Nets this season, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Joey Hauser played for the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, last season. He also briefly had a two-way contract with Utah.
Haywood Highsmith, who has yet to make his Nets debut due to a knee injury, was on the court during pregame warmups on Thursday working out with the coaching staff but he has yet to be cleared for contact, Lewis tweets. Highsmith was acquired from the Heat in mid-August.