Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Underrated NBA Draft Prospect Compared to Nikola Jokic, 'He's So Advanced'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By JH Kubicek | Last updated Jan 16, 2025 11:22 AM ET

After Stephen Curry took the league by storm, any undersized guard who could shoot was compared to him. After Kawhi Leonard emerged as a lockdown defender, scouts have been looking for the next "Klaw," and now, after winning three MVPs as a do-all center on the offensive side of the ball, the NBA is looking for the next Nikola Jokic.

When the Denver Nuggets drafted him 41st overall in 2014, famously during a Taco Bell commercial, fans had no idea that the overlooked Serbian center would become an all-time great and a transitional player in the league.

With his impact already resulting in historical numbers at only 29 years old, it makes sense that teams are looking for the next Jokic, and scouts think they may have found him.

Enter University of Michigan's Danny Wolf, the 7-0 transfer from Yale. This season, Wolf is leading the Big10 in rebounds with 10.1 per game, which is insane given that he often shares the court with the 7-1 Vladislav Goldin. On top of that, he offers 12.4 points per game and 3.9 assists while showing promise as a deep threat.

Wolf's footwork is elite, but it takes a little more than that to be dubbed the next Jokic. Still, comparisons are already running wild.

"I can't remember the last time I saw a college big play that loose and free as a ball-handler and passer," one anonymous scout told ESPN's Jonathan Givony. "Looks like how Jokic plays."

Of course, the allure with Jokic is that the Nuggets didn't know exactly what they had until he broke out, so finding a diamond in the rough doesn't sound impossible. Wolf already has an elite skill set.

"Doing things in a game that you can't teach guys to do in drills," the scout continued. "Fundamentally, he's so advanced."

Even if Wolf (who could very likely go undrafted) doesn't live up to the hype, the boldness of comparing him to the best player in the world can't be overlooked.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: