NBA Draft: Danny Wolf's Unique Skillset Should See Him Rise on Draft Boards

The 7-foot point-center looks like he could provide value to NBA teams with his ability to impact the game in a variety of ways.

Dec 10, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Danny Wolf (1) drives past Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (4) in the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

In a back-and-forth thriller at Madison Square Garden, Danny Wolf showed why he's worthy of getting a real look from NBA teams this season.

Wolf plays like a point guard trapped in a center's body the way he handles the ball and sees the floor. Dusty May has utilized his center tandem of Wolf and FAU transfer Vladislav Goldin by using Wolf as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations. This matchup has been extremely difficult for opposing teams to defend due to Wolf's size and passing ability as he consistently makes the right reads often getting Goldin open dunks and layups when he draws two defenders.

Last night against a talented Arkansas team led by John Calipari, Wolf nearly had a triple-double, recording 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the narrow 89-87 loss.

After only play seven minutes a game as a freshman, Wolf had a breakout season at Yale that put him on the radar for high-major programs with his scoring ability out to the three-point line, impressive handle for a big and defensive impact despite seemingly average athleticism. Through his first 10 games at Michigan, Wolf is averaging 12.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals while shooting 55.7% from the field and making eight threes up to this point.

His three-point shooting will be a big swing skill for him as he will climb up NBA Draft boards if he can improve his efficiency (29.6%). In a small sample size, Wolf has shown an ability to make threes off the catch and off the dribble, which is rare to find in players his size. He has incredible touch around the rim and his ball skills allow him to back down smaller defenders for paint scores or even mid-post fadeaways. The rebounding part of his game is also underrated as he nearly averages a double-double.

NBA teams will have concerns over Wolf's defense due to his perceived lack of speed, but his defensive presence has been undeniable so far at the high-major level. He has been able to guard bigs and switch onto smaller guards at times being able to keep them in front and out of the paint. He is effective at altering shots when getting beat and gets his hands in the passing lanes as proven by his 2.8 stocks per game. For teams to vision his ball creation translating to the next level, he will have to do a better job of limiting his turnovers (3.8 per game) and not force as many passes in crowded areas.

His potential role in the NBA is not clear yet and probably won't be until he gets to that level, but his skill set is extremely valuable due to his offensive versatility, which makes him such a unique prospect. In an NBA looking for skilled players at every position, Wolf is at the top of the list of most skilled bigs in the college game. Although he's considered an older prospect, being a junior in college, Wolf doesn't turn 21 until May. His room for growth and offensive upside should have NBA teams strongly considering moving him up their draft boards as Big Ten play progresses.

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