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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nets' Danny Wolf receives votes for biggest steal in 2025 NBA Draft
The Brooklyn Nets made one of the more interesting decisions in the 2025 NBA Draft when they decided to take a record-breaking five players in the Draft. One of the players that Brooklyn selected, forward Danny Wolf, was the 27th overall pick in the Draft, but there are some who believe that the Nets may have gotten quite the player with the pick. Wolf was among a host of players that received votes for the biggest steal of the 2025 Draft class, according to a survey conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Woo of 20 anonymous NBA executives and scouts. The same survey found that the player most likely to be the biggest reach of the Draft was guard Egor Demin, who was taken by Brooklyn with the eighth overall pick in the event. Wolf, 21, is coming off a 2024-25 season at Michigan in which he lifted himself into first-round consideration after averaging 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and 33.6% from three-point land. While it wasn't certain whether there would be a team that would take Wolf with a first-round pick, part of the reason Brooklyn took the leap is because of Wolf's versatility as a big man with ball-handling skills. During Wolf's first NBA action in the Las Vegas Summer League earlier this month, he didn't necessarily light the event on fire as he showed some signs of where he needs improvement ahead of his first NBA season. However, he did averaged 10.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 39.1% from the field and 40.0% from deep in three games played in the summer league. Time will tell if Wolf can be as good in the NBA as he was in college with the way that he is able to create mismatches with his ability to handle the basketball with some flair along the way. Wolf is in the position of possibly seeing minutes at the power forward and/or center spot during his rookie season with the way that head coach Jordi Fernandez wants to have as many ball-handlers on the floor as possible. Wolf should have the chance to prove whether he's a steal or not. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Danny Wolf receives votes for biggest steal in 2025 NBA Draft
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Nets' Danny Wolf receives votes for biggest steal in 2025 NBA Draft
The Brooklyn Nets made one of the more interesting decisions in the 2025 NBA Draft when they decided to take a record-breaking five players in the Draft. One of the players that Brooklyn selected, forward Danny Wolf, was the 27th overall pick in the Draft, but there are some who believe that the Nets may have gotten quite the player with the pick. Wolf was among a host of players that received votes for the biggest steal of the 2025 Draft class, according to a survey conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Woo of 20 anonymous NBA executives and scouts. The same survey found that the player most likely to be the biggest reach of the Draft was guard Egor Demin, who was taken by Brooklyn with the eighth overall pick in the event. Wolf, 21, is coming off a 2024-25 season at Michigan in which he lifted himself into first-round consideration after averaging 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and 33.6% from three-point land. While it wasn't certain whether there would be a team that would take Wolf with a first-round pick, part of the reason Brooklyn took the leap is because of Wolf's versatility as a big man with ball-handling skills. During Wolf's first NBA action in the Las Vegas Summer League earlier this month, he didn't necessarily light the event on fire as he showed some signs of where he needs improvement ahead of his first NBA season. However, he did averaged 10.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 39.1% from the field and 40.0% from deep in three games played in the summer league. Time will tell if Wolf can be as good in the NBA as he was in college with the way that he is able to create mismatches with his ability to handle the basketball with some flair along the way. Wolf is in the position of possibly seeing minutes at the power forward and/or center spot during his rookie season with the way that head coach Jordi Fernandez wants to have as many ball-handlers on the floor as possible. Wolf should have the chance to prove whether he's a steal or not.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nets' Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf bring new wave of Jewish talent to NBA
The Nets made history this summer, becoming the first NBA team to select five players in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, including two Jewish players in Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, the first such duo selected in the same draft since 2006. Brooklyn drafted Saraf and Wolf with consecutive picks at Nos. 26 and 27, instantly doubling the league's Jewish player count from two to four, joining Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis. Amari Bailey, who played for the G League Long Island Nets last season, also identifies as Jewish. 'To be honest, it's fantastic, the way it just worked out,' Nets general manager Sean Marks said. 'If you think about it, the game of basketball is such a worldly game, played all over the globe… What I will say is, there's talent everywhere, and that's our job, to bring in the best talent regardless of race, ethnicity and so forth.' In 2023, the UJA-Federation of New York reported approximately 1.4 million Jews in the New York area. Brooklyn, the most crowded Jewish borough with about one-third of this population, now features two prominent ambassadors in Saraf and Wolf. Jacob Gurvis of Jewish Community Voice reports that Saraf, the son of two former Israeli professional basketball players, wears No. 77, symbolizing the Hebrew word 'mazal', which means luck. Wolf gained Israeli citizenship to compete for Israel at the FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece. 'It's definitely going to be unique having them both here and we're excited about that,' Marks said. 'I know the borough is excited about that. I know the Jewish community here is very excited about that, too.' Saraf, the third point guard selected by the Nets on draft night, averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 42 games for Ratiopharm Ulm last season. In 2023-24, he played for Elitzur Kiryat Ata in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, earning the league's top young prospect award. He was also named MVP of the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024, leading the tournament with 28.1 points per game. The 19-year-old believes his overseas professional experience will set him apart in Brooklyn. 'I've been playing pro for three years now, so I've played a lot of games so far,' Saraf said. 'I think it's going to be helpful knowing how to manage your body, to really stick to your routines and be willing to compete every night so things can translate the right away for the NBA.' Wolf, the Nets' only non-guard pick in 2025, averaged 13.2 points, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game at Michigan last season, leading the Wolverines to a Big Ten Tournament title and a Sweet 16 appearance. Previously, he earned All-Ivy League honors at Yale over two seasons. The 21-year-old also helped Israel secure a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece, where he practiced with Saraf. 'I think just the jump I made from Yale to Michigan and now — obviously the NBA is a different animal and going to have to keep working on a lot of different things, but I think there's just a lot of different things I can do on a basketball court,' Wolf said. 'Whatever coach Jordi and the staff want me to do, I'm going to do to the best of my ability, while still working and developing to become that kind of player.' Beyond their Jewish heritage and tireless work ethic, positional versatility connects Saraf, Wolf and Brooklyn's 2025 draft class. Marks credits David Blatt, a former NBA head coach and Israeli American basketball executive, for aiding in identifying Saraf and Wolf during the draft process. 'I think words of wisdom are always important,' Marks said. 'I have a lot of respect for Coach Blatt, as a person, as a coach. And when we do our due diligence, you want to watch the players themselves, but also you need to know all the things that you didn't know. And everything was very positive coming from coach Blatt. He really liked these two guys, and he knew them pretty well. So, he really helped us and finally we were lucky enough to get them both here.' Now teammates in Brooklyn, Saraf and Wolf have the opportunity to represent Israel on basketball's biggest stage. Though both are considered developmental projects — Saraf must improve his outside shooting, and Wolf needs to clean up turnover issues — their future looks promising. On a rebuilding Nets team, they could make an immediate impact. 'I think I really enjoyed watching Ben overseas,' Marks said. 'We went over to watch him live a couple of times, so it was great to watch how hard he competes. I think that was something that really stood out, passing ability, pride on defense. I think he's playing at a high level over there. 'Danny, I think we already sort of talked a little about the high IQ and a skill set that's very unique for a person his size. So, to see him out there, other teams continue trying to figure out, well, how do we stop him? Who do we guard him with? What system do we put around him? And that's a unique problem to have, right? How do we use both of those young men to the best of their abilities and watch them grow and so forth.'
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nets summer league player grades: Danny Wolf drops 18 in loss to Magic
The Brooklyn Nets (1-3) came into Wednesday's game against the Orlando Magic hoping that they could finally get their first win of the Las Vegas Summer League. Despite Brooklyn playing on the second night of a back-to-back and missing Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore, and Tyson Etienne for various ailments, the Nets found a way to make enough plays to come away with the victory. The Nets came away from Thursday's game with a 94-90 victory over the Magic thanks to two of Brooklyn's rookies having their best games of the summer league. Forward Danny Wolf had 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists while Egor Demin dropped 14 points and five rebounds, including shooting 4-of-8 from three-point land to keep the Nets in the game towards the end. Brooklyn had its fair share of trouble defending Noah Penda, Wendell Moore Jr., and Jalen Crutcher, but Brooklyn made had built up enough of a lead to give themselves a cushion to withstand Orlando's furious comeback. Here are the Nets player grades following their outing against the Magic in which they won their first game in the summer league: Egor Demin: B- Demin had a tough time on the offensive end in this one as he couldn't find his touch from three-point land and had trouble getting all the way to the basket outside of an impressive coast-to-coast dunk. Demin did a good job of rebounding from the point guard spot, but he turned the ball over too much for him to not get much out of his playmaking. Caleb Daniels: C Daniels drew another start, but he wasn't able to replicate the performance that he had in Tuesday's loss to the New York Knicks. Daniels did not get the ball as much as he did in the other game, but he also couldn't find his shooting touch from the outside to make the defense pay for leaving him open at the three-point line. Daniels did a great job of rebounding the basketball, but he also fouled too much when trying to guard his man. Tosan Evbuomwan: B+ After missing time due to a hip contusion, Evbuomwan was able to take the floor for the Nets and he had a solid game. Evbuomwan had some moments where he looked unsure of himself on the offensive end, but he also had some instances where he showed his veteran presence on the floor. Evbuomwan was a menace on the perimeter defense as he was just racking up the steals thanks to his awareness and quick hands. Danny Wolf: B+ Wolf had his best game of the summer league as he had all of his game working from his scoring to his passing and everything in between. Wolf has had games where he either didn't shoot well or didn't showcase his all-around game that made him a first-round pick coming out of Michigan. This game should have showed Nets fans that Wolf will be an interesting player for the team next season. Grant Nelson: C- Nelson drew another start, but he wasn't able to make much of an impact outside of his rebounding during his time on the floor. Nelson did not take many shots and while summer league can be rough on big men who do not get the ball on a consistent basis, there were times where Nelson could have asserted himself. Nelson did a great job on the glass, but he also picked up too many fouls while trying to defend in the paint and at the rim. Quincy Olivari: B+ Olivari saw plenty of minutes in this one with some players being unable to play in this game for various reasons and he took advantage for the most part. Olivari did not shoot the ball well at all, but he was aggressive on the offensive end of the floor and he was one of the main playmakers on the floor. Olivari did a great job of generating free-throws and he took care of the basketball when he had it in his hands. Tyrese Samuel: B Samuel saw some extra playing time in this one thanks to some players not being able to participate in the matchup and he had one of the better games on the team. Samuel was effective on the offensive end of the floor and he was aggressive to the part that he generated some free-throws as a result. Samuel could have been more active in the rebounding phase of the game, but he was also disruptive on the defensive end of the floor. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets summer league player grades: Danny Wolf drops 18 in loss to Magic
New York Post
13-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
What Nets' Danny Wolf blames for rough Summer League debut
LAS VEGAS — Danny Wolf's highlight reels and passing chops had him as perhaps the Nets rookie that basketball junkies were most looking forward to seeing. The first-round pick's summer league debut left a lot to be desired. He had just four points on 0-for-5 shooting in Thursday's 90-81 loss to the Thunder. 'Definitely not what I was hoping for by any means. Just got to put it in the rearview mirror, and move on. Just had to get my feet wet a little bit, but move on from this game and just get back,' said Wolf, acknowledging first-game jitters. 'I mean, it's my first experience in the NBA, and obviously it's summer league, but it's different. Definitely some jitters and again, just got to put this in the rearview and learn from it. Just get better from this.' Wolf was the best passing big man in this year's class coming out of Michigan. When he fell to Brooklyn at No. 27, he seemed to fit the high-basketball feel ethos they're leaning into. But in the opening loss to the Thunder, he had just two assists against four turnovers. 'I think it's one game, and the Thunder did a job of speeding us up. They switched everything and just kind of got under us and kind of played into the pressure a little bit,' Wolf said. 'It's just kind of letting the game come to me a little bit better. Again, it was my first experience, and I kind of got sped up far too quickly and far too easily, and I know I'll be better next game.' Danny Wolf takes a shot during the Nets' Summer League loss on July 10, 2025. AP Wolf — who started at power forward, alongside center Drew Timme — will get another shot Sunday against Washington. Measuring 6-foot-10 ½ barefoot at the NBA Draft Combine and 251.8 pounds, he's a much bigger version of Trendon Watford and can serve some of the same point-forward role as the departed free agent did — albeit in his own way. Danny Wolf takes throws a pass during the Nets' Summer League loss to the Thunder on July 10, 2025.' Getty Images 'I think I want Danny to be Danny. I don't want Danny to be Trendon,' coach Jordi Fernández said. 'Once again, I wanna see how he adjusts to the NBA. I wanna see him playing real minutes when he earns it and when the team needs it. 'Shooting ability, playmaking, touching the paint, size, all those things are just positives. And then once we see it with the rest of the teammates all combined, we'll see how he plays. He's gonna have his goals and his role definition. There's gonna be things that he's gonna have to improve, like his rim finishing and adjusting to the 3-point line. But we know that he's gonna work, we know that he's about the right things, and we know that he's gonna get better.' Ben Saraf struggled as well in his debut, with just three points on 1-for-5 shooting, two assists and two turnovers in 17:35 running the second unit. The Israeli guard finished a minus-11. Grant Nelson had five points and two rebounds backing up Timme. The center from Alabama went undrafted but is vying for the last two-way spot.
