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Michigan star Danny Wolf, perhaps 'college basketball's most unique player,' picking up steam as NBA Draft prospect

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•02/20/25•

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Danny Wolf
Michigan Wolverines basketball junior forward/center Danny Wolf is having a breakout season. (Photo by Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

One year ago, Danny Wolf was a productive center in the Ivy League. Now, the Michigan Wolverines basketball junior is one of the top players in the Big Ten on a team in position to compete for multiple championships.

The 7-foot-0, 250-pounder is averaging 12.9 points, 10 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. The Yale transfer is registering 3.3 turnovers per game but has limited those to 1.8 per contest over his last six outings, getting better and better with the ball in his hands.

Michigan’s 4-5 ball screen with Wolf and graduate center Vladislav Goldin has become the staple of the offense. As much as opponents scheme to take it away, it’s been effective as the Wolverines evolve how they use it.

Wolf had never been the ball handler on pick-and-rolls before coming to Michigan. The Wolverines experimented with it in the summer, improved it throughout the fall and debuted it this season. He’s been on a constant progression of growth and is playing at a high level.

Wolf has turned himself into not just an NBA Draft prospect, but one projected to be picked in the first round.

Last week, ESPN.com’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo placed him as the No. 16 overall pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their mock draft. He’s the fourth “center” in the mock, behind Duke’s Khaman Maluach, Maryland’s Derik Queen and France’s Joan Beringer.

“Wolf might be college basketball’s most unique player, ranking as the best pick-and-roll player in this draft class while being measured at 7-0,” Givony wrote. “He’s exceptionally skilled with his ability to handle, pass and finish with either hand, and is making 37% of his 3-pointers. He also rebounds prolifically, makes plays in passing lanes and protects the rim with outstanding basketball instincts.

“He isn’t seeing as many reps at point guard as he did earlier in the season after racking up 22 turnovers in a recent five-game span — NBA teams have seen different sides of his game, however, with the myriad ways he contributes to winning.

“He’s a little polarizing among scouts because of his unorthodox style, combined with his average speed, high turnover rate (27 percent) and poor free throw shooting (63 percent). He will have a lot of NBA eyes on him in March to see how he fares in some of Michigan’s biggest games.”

This week, On3’s Jamie Shaw ranked Wolf as the No. 12 overall prospect and the No. 2 center behind Maluach on his top-25 big board.

“[Michigan head coach] Dusty May has unlocked an entirely new person this season,” Shaw wrote. “Danny Wolf is showcasing so many playmaking abilities, things we did not see from him at Yale.

“Wolf is unique in his ability to initiate offense at his size, but also knock down shots and rebound. Ultimately, there will be questions about his average foot speed and on the defensive end, but his ability to create an offensive advantage from each level of the court is intriguing.

“Wolf showed he can score on the low block at Yale and he is showing at Michigan that he can be the hub of an offense. He will need to tone down his turnovers, and that may come with more spacing and in-role reps, but his ability to create an offensive advantage with the ball in his hands plays into today’s basketball.”

The NBA isn’t Wolf’s focus at the moment, with Michigan fighting for a Big Ten title ahead of the postseason, but he will have options after this season.

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