2025 NBA Draft: Danny Wolf Scouting Report
Evaluating the Michigan frontcourt playmaker ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
DRAFT EVALUATION: Top 25 pick
NBA ROLE: Dribble/pass/score frontcourt energizer
REMINDS ME OF: Toronto Raptors Kelly Olynyk, taller Joe Ingles, less polished Franz Wagner
RAW STATS: 13.2 PTS, 9.7 REB (2.3o/7.4d), 3.6 AST to 3.2 TOV, 0.7 STL, 1.4 BLK, 2.1 PF in 30.5 MINS over 37 GAMES
ADVANCED STATS: 8.3 BPM, 25.2 USG%, 55.9 TS%, 9.1 OREB%, 25.0 DREB%, 22.8 AST%, 23.9 TOV%, 1.1 A/TO, 1.3 STL%, 4.6 BLK%
Background:
Birthday: May 5, 2004
Weight: 250 pounds
Born in Glencoe, Illinois. Grew up in a practicing Jewish household. Keeps kosher. Had his Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall. Doesn't really speak Hebrew.
Was first approached by Israel about playing for their national team in summer 2022. Eventually got the paperwork done, 'made aliyah' in June 2023, and completed the process to be a naturalized Israeli citizen.
First played for Israel at the 2023 U-20 Euros, helping Israel to the title game and averaging 17.7 PTS, 12.0 REB, 2.4 AST, 2.7 TOV, 1.6 STL, 1.3 BLK on 43.2 FG% / 21.4 3P% (6/28).
Dad played basketball. Older brothers Josh and Jake played at Lehigh and D-III WashU, respectively. Mom, sister, and cousins went to Michigan.
Was 6-foot-3 as a high school freshman, 6-foot-6 by his sophomore year, 6-foot-9 as a junior. Now listed at 7-feet by Michigan.
“The one thing that sticks out to college coaches that I’ve talked to is that Danny has a natural feel to the game,” Lake Forest Academy coach Kyle Koncz said. “He’s a great passer, sees the game developing in front of him very good, not only for his age but his size.
“Growing up, I was tall, but never really tall,” Wolf said. “I would always work on my ballhandling and passing. I liked to play guard. It has helped me as I’ve grown into my body. I’ve also matured. Last year wasn’t very good for me. I wasn’t focused on the right things, was somewhat of a head case. I’ve been working hard and listening to my coaches and working to get better every day.”
Models game after Luka Doncic.
Originally committed to Yale out of Northfield Mount Hermon School (Massachusetts). Played AAU ball for Mac Irvin Fire.
Takeaway:
Danny Wolf is a unique, perimeter-oriented, forward-sized prospect with a dribble/pass/score skillset that is tough to stop in college, but which has translatability questions as far as the NBA. Ultimately, I see him as a playmaking frontcount player who can be a situational starter, but who I probably prefer energizing a second unit where he can tap into his playmaking next to lower-volume players.
Wolf’s standout trait is how he puts the ball on the floor and makes decisions. I’m not sure that the Michigan junior is actually 7-feet, but he’s at least 6-foot-10 — the point is that he’s sized like a 4 (and some 5s) — while taking up a really high volume of pick-and-roll possessions.
Michigan looks to Wolf as their main facilitator fairly often. He’ll bring the ball up, take up the shot clock, and make plays out of ballscreens. Wolf can also pass out of post-ups or in more connective ways.
That said, the Israeli-American playmaker is also turnover prone. Wolf loses the ball in avoidable ways and he has to keep improving his handle. There’s no doubt that Wolf can play with the ball in his hands in college, but I think the tape suggests that he’ll struggle to beat defenders at the next level.
Scoring-wise, the question is whether Wolf should scale up or down. The former would see him take on more reps as a scorer while increasing his pull-up volume which shows flashes but not abundance. The latter would emphasize quicker decisions out of spot-ups and a greater focus on play finishing, where Wolf’s rebounding stands out and where he could perhaps have some upside rolling to the rim.
Defensively, Wolf is big enough to alter shots in college. His numbers are surprisingly productive despite lacking footspeed and lift, but the Michigan prospect isn’t a natural shotblocker and he is slightly caught between positions. As a center, he hasn’t really been tested in the pick-and-roll, and his tools aren’t promising. As a 4, Wolf doesn’t add enough as a helper. As a theoretical big wing, he probably can’t keep up with the NBA athleticism in those positions.
Offense:
Dribble/pass/score prospect while being listed at 7-feet. Productive while being Michigan’s engine in terms of scoring and facilitating.
Comfortable as a volume ballhandler in the pick-and-roll. Uses handle and size to either get to the basket or make a play for others. Needs a screen to create space.
Making 60.5% (124/205) of his shots at the rim. Again, super high volume.
Half-court: 59.9% (82/137) at-rim
Transition: 57.9% (22/38) at-rim
Offsets lack of bounce with size and positional skills. Crafty using crossovers, feints, and rejections to get downhill.
Passing is standout trait for his size and position. Takes up a lot of pick-and-roll possessions as a playmaker. Has formed a great partnership with him as the 4 and Vladislav Goldin as the 5.
Creative with a diverse range of passes. Can use his size to see over the top, whip passes out of a live dribble, or get low to execute reads in the pocket. Effective in empty side set-ups.
Can also playmake out of the post, but won’t get as much time or dribbles in the NBA. Decent at reading doubles. Likes to turn baseline and use jump passes.
Reliable decision making and skill-set opens up the possibility of connective passing in a more downscaled role. Can attack a closeout, make the hit-ahead pass, etc. but will need to remain as effective of a passer on less touches.
Turnovers are a concern with a 1.1 A/TO3 on high usage. Averaging 3.2 turnovers to 3.6 assists, as of March 25.
Handle can be an issue in traffic or when trying to beat defenders off the catch. Can also force passes through non-existent windows.
Needs to cut down on unforced turnovers. Already plays a risky style of basketball with a high volume of possessions. NBA defenders will read his intentions and handle much faster.
Is handle NBA-functional? Struggles to beat defenders if they contain his first move. Doesn’t have many counters if walled off.
Not athletic from a run/jump standpoint. More so coordinated. Lacks the explosion to just blow past people.
Struggles to break down defenders without a screen. Handle is very good for his position, especially at the college level, but probably doesn’t warrant full-time NBA usage.
Handle can limit his finishing. Doesn’t look fully comfortable bumping on drives.
Do you want him to scale up or down? Could give him the ball even more and empower him not just in the pick-and-roll, but as a scorer.
Likes to get to a stepback from the midrange or from three. Gather is a bit slow, but might not matter too much at his height.
Some flashes exist... 31.9 3P% (15/47) on off-dribble threes and 44.4 2P% (4/9) on off-dribble twos…
Process off the dribble can be murky and take up a lot of touches. Defense is willing to let him shoot instead of drive.
If scaling down, will need to do more spotting up, attacking closeouts/off the catch, connecting, and play finishing.
Spot-up shooting will need to improve in order to fully open up the other options.
33.9 3P% (21/62) on catch-and-shoots this season, which is low volume and meh conversion — although this is not really his role on the team.
43.5 3P% (27/62) last season at Yale is better, but again on low volume and just a matter of a few makes going his way.
Play finishing can show up as a rebounder and maybe as a roller.
Averaging 9.8 boards per game with a 25.5 DREB%, 9.2 OREB%. Uses body and timing to clear out space on the glass despite not having much bounce.
Doesn’t play as the roll man at Michigan since Vladislav Goldin is there to do that … 6 rolls to the basket this season, compared to 17 rolls to the basket last season…
Last season at Yale, 11.9% of his possessions were as a roller … 1.448 PPP is ‘Excellent’ … 30/50 FG, although he was largely popping, and he struggled when met by real length or traffic…
With Israel U-20, 46 possessions as a roller … 0.870 PPP is ‘Below Average’ … 41.5 FG% (17/41) overall … 20 rolling possessions (11/18 … 61.1 FG%) … 13 slipping possessions (3/12 … 25 FG%)
Was really playing as the team’s 5 with a spaced out floor allowing him to roll with little traffic. Doesn’t make much contact on picks, but good timing and hands.
Self-creation in the post probably isn’t worth investing in. Numbers and tape from past seasons reflect this.
0.646 PPP on 48 post-ups (12/32 FG), per Synergy, at Michigan.
0.761 PPP on 92 post-ups (25/66) last season at Yale.
Wolf said: “This past month, my coaches emphasized the use of me inside and out and I have always really refrained from trying to become a post player. I don’t know why that is, but that is another weakness, my post game, which has been improving. I enjoy the perimeter more and it’s what I grew up playing and what I know. I think that if I can incorporate a post game I can be a much better player.”
Defense:
Athletic limitations exist in terms of footspeed, lift, and switchability. Not very sharp taking angles and corners. Moves decently, but better down the other end.
College production probably belies NBA translation. Uses size and smaller court at the college level to alter shots near the basket, but lacks next level ground coverage and pop.
0.7 STL, 1.4 BLK / 1.3 STL%, 4.7 BLK% this season. 74 stocks in 36 games shows some level of production that’s tough to fully ignore.
Last season at Yale: 1 STL, 1.3 BLK / 1.9 STL%, 5.4 BLK%
Lacks shotblocking as a helper. Not proactive enough with his positioning and doesn’t have the physical margins to recover.
Plays the 4 at Michigan most of the time. Probably his NBA position, as well. Not a 5, but also too slow for wings which limits his versatility.
Decent mover at his size despite not being an instinctual shotblocker. Around 7-feet tall, so naturally just takes up space and erasing angles.
Good motor overall, makes an effort despite lacking tools. Not a sieve on defense.
Has only faced 20 defensive possessions (11 pops, 9 slips) as the pick-and-roll big, per Synergy. That’s compared to 121 spot-ups. Can sometimes use his size to remove angles, but can also struggle to stay in front or rush out to the perimeter due to his limited footspeed.
Faced 14 possessions (12 pops, 2 slips) at Yale last season. Defensive data isn’t perfect, but it does indicate a low volume.
Physical tools give him little room for error. I don’t think he’s a 5, so he won’t face many pick-and-rolls in the NBA either, but this is more about his limited versatility on defense.
Generally good closeouts under control and with high/active hands.
Benefits from Vladislav Goldin’s presence at Michigan. Nimari Burnett is also a good wing defender that covers a lot of ground. Also, having two high-level 7-footers on a college court just takes up a ton of space.
Per Bart Torvik