Danny Wolf’s Breakout Week: The Rookie Big Man Making Noise in Brooklyn
Don’t look now, but Danny Wolf is starting to carve out a real role in Brooklyn - and he’s doing it with authority.
The Nets rookie big man has gone from G League contributor to late-game closer in a matter of days, and Monday night’s win over the Hornets might’ve been his loudest statement yet. Literally. In the fourth quarter, Wolf detonated on Charlotte’s Miles Bridges with a poster dunk that sent the Barclays Center crowd - and his own teammates - into a frenzy.
Even Michael Porter Jr. couldn’t believe what he saw.
“[That's a] white boy,” Porter said, laughing. “Nah, I'm playing.
Danny's been showing out since training camp. I've said it multiple times - he’s one of my favorite rookies I’ve ever played with or seen.
From day one, he surprised me. He can handle the ball, he moves well for his size, he can pass, shoot - he’s got the whole package.
So being on the floor with him for the first time was really fun.”
That dunk wasn’t just a highlight - it was the exclamation point on Brooklyn’s first home win of the season, a 116-103 victory over Charlotte. And it capped off a fourth quarter where Wolf didn’t just play - he closed.
Michael Porter Jr. on his shocked reaction to Danny Wolf’s poster dunk:
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 2, 2025
“White boy.”
😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/3zJt60mcY5 pic.twitter.com/HnGhEOPitm
The 21-year-old scored all 10 of his points in the final frame, going 4-for-6 from the field with five rebounds and an assist in just 12 minutes. When the Nets needed someone to help seal the deal, the rookie answered the call.
“It felt great,” Wolf said of the dunk. “Against Milwaukee, there was another opportunity for that, and I laid the ball up instead.
Before today’s game, I kind of joked, saying I was going to try to catch a body or dunk on somebody. Then the opportunity came, and I just attacked the rim.
I did it - and I reaped the rewards.”
That confidence didn’t come out of nowhere. Wolf’s been putting in the work behind the scenes, especially during a stint with the Long Island Nets that clearly paid off.
Danny Wolf on his poster dunk over Miles Bridges:
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 2, 2025
“Before the game I said I was gonna try to catch a body.” https://t.co/3zJt60mcY5 pic.twitter.com/OCu4mzrKJx
After being the lone member of Brooklyn’s five-man rookie class not to see real NBA minutes early on, he’s made the most of his recent opportunity. Over the last three games, he’s averaging 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in just over 20 minutes a night - all on efficient shooting splits of .444 from the field, .429 from three, and .875 from the line.
Those are rotation-worthy numbers, and more importantly, he’s doing it in meaningful moments.
“Coming into the NBA, you don’t really know exactly what you're getting into,” Wolf said. “That first month, I wasn’t getting the opportunity.
I was just sitting there with that itch to play. But when I went down to Long Island, the coaching staff and front office told me it’s all about your mindset - how you look at it determines what you get out of it.
That stuck with me.”
Wolf embraced the grind. He used the G League not as a demotion, but as a runway. Now, he’s flying.
“It’s just about being ready for your opportunity,” he said. “Doing the little things.
I think these last couple games, I’ve done what I could. Now, it’s about putting those behind me, continuing to improve, and knowing I’ve got to keep working to get what I want.”
For the Nets, a team still searching for consistent contributors off the bench, Wolf’s emergence is more than just a feel-good story. It’s a potential turning point - the kind of internal development that can quietly strengthen a rotation and change the trajectory of a season.
And for Wolf? It’s just the beginning.