Mothers might want to take a moment to brush up on the basketball rivalries in New York and Brooklyn.
During a live broadcast, the mother of Danny Wolf, the Nets’ first-round pick at No. 27 from Michigan, made an error when expressing her son’s excitement about moving to New York. However, there’s a clear distinction between the two teams based in the area.
This led to a rather awkward yet gentle exchange, where Danny attempted to correct his mother’s slip-up.
“We’re really excited to go to New York,” Tina shared during an ESPN segment while sitting next to her husband Joe and Danny.
“That’s what he wanted…” she added.
At this point, Danny politely interjected with “Brooklyn,” clearly trying to emphasize the correct team name. He then wrapped up by saying, “and that happened.”
Geographical details aside, the draft was an emotional experience for the Wolf family as they awaited Danny’s name to be called at Barclays Center.
Wolf averaged 9.7 points and 7.4 rebounds last year, shooting 33.6% from beyond the arc. He shared a warm moment with his father, celebrating right after the Nets welcomed him with their final first-round pick.
As he hugged his family, the significance of the moment seemed to overwhelm him, and he appeared to struggle with his emotions.
Tina, too, seemed moved to tears during their embrace. In a heartfelt moment, she reportedly said, “Oh, what a god.”
Inevitably, emotions ran high as the broadcast even captured his brother crying in the sidelines.
“I have two of the greatest brothers in the world, and an incredible little sister,” Wolf expressed after seeing his brother’s reaction. “They’ve all played a vital role in my journey, and they’ll continue to support me in this league.”
Post draft, Zack Braziler graded the Wolf pick a B+, suggesting it was the strongest choice Brooklyn made among their five selections that evening.
The Nets also selected Egor Denim at No. 8 from BYU, Nolan Traore at No. 19 from France, and included Drake Powell at 22 and Bensalaf from Israel, rounding out their rookie class.
Interestingly, the Illinois native also has Israeli roots, similar to Saraf, who played for the national team during the 2023 FIBA Under 20 European Championships.
“I honestly lost track of time while waiting in the green room. It felt like forever, but I understand it’s just part of the process,” Wolf mentioned. “I’m going to channel this as motivation moving forward.”
