2025 NBA draft: Grading OKC Thunder's selection of Northwestern's Brooks Barnhizer
The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Northwestern's Brooks Barnhizer with the No. 44 pick of the 2025 NBA draft. He was the NBA champion's second draft pick and joined Georgetown's Thomas Sorber.
Barnhizer spent four college seasons at Northwestern from 2021-25. He averaged 17.1 points on 41.4% shooting, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 17 games last season before he suffered a season-ending foot injury.
Considering how stacked the Thunder's roster is, only coming away with one second-round rookie feels like the right move. Everybody who helped win an NBA championship this past Sunday is under contract for next season. So it's smart for OKC to run it back.
Let's break down the draft pick and hand out a grade for Barnhizer's addition:
Barnhizer's background
Barnhizer is a bit of a throwback. He spent four seasons at Northwestern and his playing time slowly increased. As he developed in the background, his importance to the program grew over the years from a freshman who barely played to a starter in his junior and senior seasons.
Barnhizer averaged 17.1 points on 41.4% shooting, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season. He shot 26.6% from 3 on 3.8 attempts. He was also a 76.4% free-throw shooter. He tallied 2.3 steals and 1.1 blocks. He suffered a season-ending foot injury in January. The 23-year-old is a 6-foot-6, 230-pound guard
Heading into the 2025 NBA draft, Barnhizer utilized the G League Elite Camp to boost his stock and get invited to the draft combine. Even though he wasn't widely mocked as a second-round selection, the Thunder went with him and will likely sign him to a two-way deal.
Barnhizer's fit
You can't expect much out of second-round rookies if you're the NBA champion. Barnhizer will spend plenty of time on the G League's OKC Blue. That's where he'll log most of his playing time and develop while the Thunder are busy hoping to go back-to-back.
Barnhizer has been out since January, which means he'll need to knock off the rustiness. Summer league will help with that, but the G League season should accommodate him to the brutal NBA work schedule and load.
But Barnhizer is a bit of a gamble. He's an older prospect and isn't a freak athlete. The jumper isn't really there, either. Instead, he's a defensive pest who can get under the opponent's skin. The steals and blocks numbers back it up. The Thunder have plenty of those types of players, but can never have enough.
Barnhizer's long-term future
The shelf life for second-round picks is a lot shorter than for first-round picks. Barnhizer will need to impress in his first year. Two-way deals are just launching points, but can't be depended on for a long-term stay in the NBA. Barnhizer must impress from the start and have a positive track record in the G League.
If Barnhizer can develop an outside shot, that tremendously improves his chances. Most of his looks will be on the catch-and-shoot variety. The outside percentages at Northwestern weren't pretty, but solid free-throw numbers suggest hints of a jumper.
Barring several injuries, Barnhizer won't see much time on the Thunder. That doesn't mean he can't eventually carve out a role in the future. But at 23 years old, he'd better kill it in practice and G League games or risk being moved on from pretty quickly.
Final thoughts
You can't get too reactionary on the No. 44 pick. Especially when you're fresh off an NBA championship. It feels like small potatoes to stress over the possibilities. Look at the history of that selection and most players don't last in the NBA.
That said, Barnhizer was a bit of a surprise. He's an older prospect with little physical tools who can't shoot. That spells doom for his long-term hopes to be on the Thunder. He has to really carve out a knack of being a relentless perimeter defender that can get in the head of the opposition's best players.
That will be Barnhizer's best bet to stay on the Thunder beyond this upcoming season. He won't get many chances to prove himself on the NBA court, so practices and G League games are where he'll show OKC why it should eventually convert him to a standard deal. But he's fighting an uphill battle considering his physcial and shooting limitations.
Final Grade: C-minus
Barnhizer's highlights
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