There was a moment where you wondered if Danny Wolf was going to come off the board in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft.
It took a little longer than expected, but Wolf, who spent two seasons playing for Yale, was selected 27th overall by the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
With the 27th Pick of the @NBADraft, the Brooklyn Nets select Danny Wolf!#GoBlue x #ProBlue pic.twitter.com/rOZmbyVGb6
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) June 26, 2025
Brooklyn used its fourth first-round pick of the night on Wolf. He was ranked as the 25th-best player, according to ESPN, so going 28th isn't unexpected; however, three mock drafts had him going in the top 20 on Wednesday morning.
What's important for Wolf is that he's a first-round pick. There is a huge difference in the NBA draft between first and second-round picks. Second-round picks don't have guaranteed contracts. First-rounders do, so that's a big deal for Wolf, who was stellar in his one season for the Wolverines.
The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 13.2 points and 9.7 rebounds for Michigan basketball this past season. Wolf led the Big Ten in rebounding. He also led the Ivy League in 2023-24, but also averaged 3.6 assists this past season and shot 33 percent from 3-point range.
It will be interesting to see what NBA teams do with Wolf. He'll be a stretch four, but he's shown some unique playmaking skills for a 6-foot-10 forward.
NBA teams will regret passing on Danny Wolf
While it might have been better for Wolf to land with a playoff contender, Brooklyn isn't a terrible landing spot. He'll get the chance to play and develop. There's a big opening at the four for the Nets. Wolf will also provide value as a backup center.
The Michigan basketball big man averaged 1.4 blocks per game last season for the Wolverines. So he can play center, especially with more small-ball lineups. He can knock down treys, be a playmaker, while also rebounding and helping out as a rim protector.
Those are all reasons why he should have been a lottery pick. Still, going in the first round is better than not, and it should be the start of a new first-round streak for Michigan basketball, which has 12 first-round picks in the past 13 years.