Danny Wolf
![]() Wolf with Israel's Under-20 national team in 2023 | |||||||||||||||
No. 1 – Michigan Wolverines | |||||||||||||||
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Position | Power forward / center | ||||||||||||||
League | Big Ten Conference | ||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
Born | (2004-05-05) May 5, 2004 (age 20) Glencoe, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
Nationality | American / Israeli | ||||||||||||||
Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | ||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||
High school | Northfield Mount Hermon (Gill, Massachusetts) | ||||||||||||||
College | |||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Daniel Wolf (born May 5, 2004; דניאל וולף) is an American-Israeli college basketball player for the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Conference. He previously played for the Yale Bulldogs, where as a sophomore in 2023-24 he was a first-team All-Ivy League selection, the 2024 Ivy League men's basketball tournament MVP, and led the Ivy League in rebounds and in blocks per game. He competed for Team Israel at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship, winning a silver medal, and was named to the all-tournament team.
Early and personal life
Wolf was born in Glencoe, Illinois, in the United States.[1] His father is 6' 8", and his mother is 5' 10".[2] His oldest brother Josh played basketball at Lehigh University, and his other older brother Jake plays basketball at Washington University in St. Louis.[1] He is 7 feet (2.13 m) tall, and weighs 255 pounds (116 kg).[1]
High school career
Wolf attended Northfield Mount Hermon School, where he helped the team reach the finals in both the NEPSAC Triple-A championship and the national prep championship. Under his leadership, the team was ranked number 11 in the country for the majority of the season. Additionally, he received a McDonald's All-American Game nomination, and was a three-star recruit.[3][4][5] He committed to Yale University for his collegiate career because of the elite combination of academics and basketball that the school provided.[6]
College career
Yale
In his freshman season at Yale University, Wolf primarily played for the Bulldogs as a backup to forwards EJ Jarvis, Isaiah Kelly, and Matt Knowling averaging 2.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks. His best performances came in the final two games of the regular season, where he averaged 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks. After the season, he received Yale's John C Cobb Award, which is given to the team’s rookies of the year.[6]
At the start of his 2023-24 sophomore season, Wolf moved into a starting role and became the focal point of the Bulldog’s offense.[7][8][9][10] On November 19, 2023, he posted then-career-highs 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists in an overtime win over Gardner-Webb University. Wolf’s play earned him Ivy League Player of the Week five times, including three straight from January 23, 2024, to February 12, 2024.[11][12] During this stretch, he averaged 17.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and .8 blocks and led the Bulldog's to an undefeated record. Wolf was just the seventh player in Ivy League history to earn five Player of the Week awards in a single season.[12]
In 2023-24, Wolf led the Ivy League with 310 rebounds, 247 defensive rebounds, 9.7 rebounds per game, and 1.3 blocks per game.[13] He scored 14.1 points per game (10th in the league), and had 43 blocks (2nd), 63 offensive rebounds and 176 field goals (3rd), a .472 field goal percentage (4th), and 33 steals (10th).[13] He earned unanimous first team All-Ivy and National Association of Basketball Coaches District 13 first team honors, and was named the most outstanding player at the Ivy League tournament.[14]
Michigan
Following the 2023–24 season, Wolf transferred to the University of Michigan on April 20, 2024, to play for the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Conference.[15]
Team Israel career
While from Glencoe, Wolf’s Jewish background and heritage allow him to compete for Team Israel as a naturalized citizen.[16] In his first national-level competition, Wolf represented Israel at the 2023 FIBA U20 European Championship in Greece.[17][18][19][20] Playing for Israel men's national under-20 basketball team he averaged 17.7 points (2nd in the tournament), a tournament-high 12.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game (9th), leading Team Israel to a second-place silver medal, and was recognized for his stellar play by being named to the all-tournament team.[21][22][23]
Career stats
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022–23 | Yale | 21 | 0 | 7.3 | .404 | .304 | .625 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
2023–24 | Yale | 32 | 31 | 30.8 | .472 | .345 | .717 | 9.7 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 14.1 |
Career | 53 | 31 | 21.5 | .464 | .336 | .710 | 6.7 | 1.7 | .7 | 1.0 | 9.5 |
References
- ^ a b c "Danny Wolf - 2023-24 - Men's Basketball". Yale University.
- ^ Narang, Bobby (July 9, 2020). "After a series of growth spurts, Lake Forest Academy's Danny Wolf hits 6-10 and starts receiving Division I offers on the first day: 'It was the coolest thing ever.'". The Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Ryan James (June 17, 2021). "2022 PF Danny Wolf discusses his Minnesota official visit". 247Sports.
- ^ Bobby Narang (November 12, 2020). "Recruiting notes: 6-foot-10 junior Danny Wolf cites uncertainty in Illinois, opportunity on East Coast in decision to transfer from Lake Forest Academy". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "College Prospect Spotlight: Yale's Danny Wolf; This week, we highlight the spectacular play of Yale center Danny Wolf". Sports Illustrated. December 21, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ a b "Men's Basketball Roster -- Danny Wolf". Yale. October 27, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "Yale vs. Howard: Sophomore sensation Danny Wolf leads Bulldogs as 6-point favorites in college basketball showdown". BVM Sports. January 3, 2024.
- ^ "Wolf, Mack Repeat as Ivy Men's Hoops Weekly Award Winners". ivyleague.com. January 22, 2024.
- ^ Dom Amor (February 15, 2024). "Danny Wolf, 'weirdly unbelievable,' adds new dimension to Yale's basketball aspirations". Harford Courant.
- ^ Lee, Myer (February 1, 2024). "Danny Wolf powers Yale basketball team to six-game winning streak". CT Insider.
- ^ "Wolf Earns Ivy Player of Week Honors for Fifth Time". Yale University. February 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Bennett, Tim (February 12, 2024). "Wolf Earns Ivy Player of Week Honors for Fifth Time". Yale Athletics. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ a b "Danny Wolf College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
- ^ "Wolf, Jones Finalists for CollegeInsider Awards". Yale University. March 20, 2024.
- ^ Meyer, Craig (April 20, 2024). "7-foot Yale transfer Danny Wolf commits to Dusty May, Michigan basketball". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Halickman, Joshua (July 7, 2023). "Yale hoopster Danny Wolf checks in ahead of representing Israel at U20 Euro". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ "ג'ייק כהן, הגלגול הבא: הכירו את כוכב נבחרת העתודה דני וולף". Israel HaYom. March 25, 2024.
- ^ ""יקבל צ'אנס ב-NBA": דני וולף פורח, ומדבר על המחויבות לנבחרת". וואלה!. February 17, 2024.
- ^ "שבוע חלומי: דני וולף בדרך להישג מרשים עם ייל". Israel HaYom. March 16, 2024.
- ^ ספורט, Ynet (March 23, 2024). "סנסציית ענק בטורניר המכללות: דני וולף וייל הדיחו את אובורן". Ynet.
- ^ נועה פופלינגר (July 17, 2023). "ענקים: וולף ויעקב בחמישיית יורובאסקט U20". Sport5 - אתר ערוץ הספורט.
- ^ "Wolf Stars at FIBA U20 European Championship, Earns Silver Medal with Team Israel; named to tournament's All Star Five". Yale University. July 18, 2023.
- ^ "The standout players that impressed at #FIBAU20Europe". FIBA. July 16, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
External links
- Twitter page
- Yale Bulldogs bio
- Michigan Wolverines bio
- ESPN profile
- Realgm profile
- SportsReference profile
- "I am grateful for the opportunity": Danny Wolf in a special interview," July 7, 2023 (audio interview)