Wolf is a modern big man whose rapid physical transformation from a 6-foot-3 freshman into a 7-foot, 250-pound NBA first-round pick is one of the more remarkable developmental arcs in recent college basketball. A dual citizen of the United States and Israel who keeps kosher and celebrated his bar mitzvah at the Western Wall, Wolf combines academic pedigree from Yale, athletic testing from Michigan, and international experience with Israel into a versatile frontcourt profile. The Brooklyn Nets selected him 27th overall in 2025, making him Yale's first first-round pick since Tony Lavelli in 1949.
Born Daniel Abraham Wolf on May 5, 2004, in Glencoe, Illinois, he is Jewish and attended a Solomon Schechter Jewish day school through fifth grade. His father Joe is 6 feet 8 inches, his mother Tina is 5 feet 10 inches, and his two older brothers Josh and Jake are each 6 feet 10 inches. Josh played at Lehigh, and Jake at Washington University in St. Louis. Wolf attended Lake Forest Academy for three years, where he began as a 6-foot-3 freshman on the varsity team. He transferred to Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts for his senior year, where he led the team to the NEPSAC Triple-A final and the national prep championship final, earned a McDonald's All-American nomination, and was a three-star recruit. He chose Yale for its combination of elite academics and basketball.
At Yale as a freshman in 2022-23, Wolf played behind EJ Jarvis, Isaiah Kelly, and Matt Knowling, averaging 2.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks in a backup role. He received the John C. Cobb Award as Yale's rookie of the year. As a sophomore in 2023-24, he moved into the starting lineup and became the focal point. On November 19, 2023, he posted then-career-highs of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in an overtime win over Gardner-Webb. He earned Ivy League Player of the Week five times, including three straight from January 23 to February 12, averaging 17.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.8 blocks while leading Yale to an undefeated record. He became the seventh player in Ivy League history to earn five Player of the Week awards in a single season.
Wolf led the Ivy League with 310 rebounds, 247 defensive rebounds, 9.7 rebounds per game, and 1.3 blocks per game in 2023-24. He averaged 14.1 points, had 43 blocks, 63 offensive rebounds, and 33 steals, shot .472 from the field, and earned unanimous first-team All-Ivy honors, NABC District 13 first-team, Ivy League tournament MVP, and Academic All-District. On April 20, 2024, he transferred to Michigan. In his debut on November 4, 2024, against Cleveland State, he led all players with 19 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks, three steals, and two assists. Against Xavier, he had 20 points and 14 rebounds as Michigan won the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Against Wisconsin, he scored 20 points with seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and five blocks. On January 4, 2025, against USC, he had 21 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and a career-high six blocks. On January 16 against Minnesota, he scored 23 points with ten rebounds and seven assists. On February 5 against Oregon, he had 15 points and 12 rebounds, giving him ten double-doubles through 22 games.
As a junior at Michigan, Wolf averaged 13.2 points, a Big Ten-leading 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks. He led the conference in rebounding with 360 boards and tied for the lead in double-doubles with 15. He was a Karl Malone Award finalist, second-team All-Big Ten by both coaches and media, and led Michigan to a Big Ten tournament championship. In the 2025 NCAA tournament, he was named to the South Regional all-tournament team. On April 16, 2025, he declared for the NBA draft.
On June 25, 2025, the Brooklyn Nets selected Wolf 27th overall. He was one of five first-round picks by the Nets that year. He made his NBA debut on November 3, 2025, against Minnesota. On November 7, he debuted for the Long Island Nets with 15 points, 11 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. On November 29 against Milwaukee, he posted a career-high 22 points with four rebounds, four assists, and a block while shooting 5-for-9 from three. On January 11, 2026, he had his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a start against Memphis. On March 1, he scored a career-high 23 points with nine rebounds against Cleveland. In 57 appearances with 15 starts as a rookie, he averaged 8.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. On April 3, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a left ankle sprain suffered on March 22 against Sacramento.
Because he is Jewish, Wolf became an Israeli naturalized citizen and competed for Israel at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece. He averaged 17.7 points, a tournament-high 12.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks, leading Israel to a silver medal and earning all-tournament team honors. His performance on the international stage demonstrated his ability to dominate against European competition and hinted at the versatile skill set that would later translate to the NBA.
Wolf is a 7-foot forward-center with a surprisingly versatile offensive game for his size. He can score inside, step out for mid-range jumpers, and has shown flashes of three-point range. He is a strong passer for a big man, averaging 3.6 assists at Michigan, and can operate as a facilitator from the elbows and short roll. His rebounding is elite at both ends, and his defensive timing allows him to block shots without excessive fouling. His areas of development are three-point consistency, defensive positioning against quicker bigs, and adding lower-body strength to handle NBA physicality. The ankle injury that ended his rookie season is a concern but not a structural issue. If he stays healthy, his combination of size, skill, and passing vision gives him a chance to be a starting-caliber big in the modern NBA.
Wolf's résumé includes growing from 6-foot-3 to 7-feet, a McDonald's All-American nomination, three-star status, a Yale commitment, the John C. Cobb Award, a sophomore breakout with 14.1 points and 9.7 rebounds, five Ivy League Player of the Week awards, unanimous first-team All-Ivy, Ivy League tournament MVP, Academic All-District, a transfer to Michigan, second-team All-Big Ten, leading the Big Ten in rebounds and double-doubles, a Big Ten tournament title, a South Regional all-tournament team selection, the 27th pick by Brooklyn in 2025, a rookie season with 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds, a career-high 23 points, a left ankle sprain ending his rookie year, a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship with Israel, all-tournament team honors, and a tournament-high 12.0 rebounds per game. His path from Glencoe through Yale and Michigan into the NBA reflects a player whose intelligence, size, and versatility suggest a long professional future.
