Latest news with #Barnhizer
USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Thunder injuries: Will Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Brooks Barnhizer play Summer League?
Fresh off an NBA championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder will experience some serious whiplash. Less than a month separates the 2025 NBA Finals and the start of the 2025 Summer League. Let's say the consequences of both environments are opposites. All intrigue revolves around the Thunder's injury statuses. They drafted Thomas Sorber with the No. 12 pick and Brooks Barnhizer with the No. 44 pick. Both suffered season-ending foot injuries in their final college seasons. Sorber had surgery in February, while Barnhizer was ruled out in the same month. Nikola Topic is also another name to watch. The 19-year-old missed his first season after he suffered a partially torn ACL in May 2024. That dropped his draft status to the 2024 NBA draft No. 12 pick, which the Thunder cashed in on to take him. After being out for over a year, most assume Topic will play at least some of the Thunder's Summer League. He attended Sorber's and Barnhizer's introductory press conference. Here's an injury update on all three players: Nikola Topic Mark Daigneault declined to comment on Topic's status. Instead, Thunder PR said they will release the Summer League roster at a later date. That should tell us whether or not the 19-year-old will finally make his OKC debut. Thomas Sorber Sorber said the Thunder will take his injury day-to-day. He also kept his status close to the vest. The 19-year-old suffered turf toe that caused him to undergo surgery. Brooks Barnhizer This was the only confirmation. Barnhizer had a foot injury that ended his collegiate season in February. He said he's good to go and will play in Summer League. He knocked off any rust in his 16 predraft workouts. He also mentioned that the Thunder were his first workout and that stuck with him throughout the other 15.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
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
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA draft news: Oklahoma City Thunder take Brooks Barnhizer at No. 44 despite season-ending foot injury
In a surprising twist on Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are the reigning champions, decided to take a gamble on Brooks Barnhizer, a gritty wing from Northwestern. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He only managed to play 17 games last season because of a persistent foot injury, but the 6′6″ forward still averaged 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. This pick reflects OKC's trust in his work ethic and defensive instincts, even though he's coming into the league on a two-way contract. Oklahoma City Thunder is banking on a trait that doesn't show up in shooting percentages Barnhizer had some impressive stats in his senior year: across 17 games, he put up an average of 17.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.3 SPG, and 1.1 BPG, playing nearly 37 minutes each game. He also set a program record with seven straight double-doubles, placing him among the top players in the NCAA. Unfortunately, his season came to a sudden stop in January due to a recurring foot injury that kept him out for the remainder of 2024–25. OKC isn't just crunching numbers—they're counting on his defensive toughness. Barnhizer ranked in the 87th percentile defensively as per Synergy and restricted opponents to a low 0.741 points per possession. His pick-and-roll defense is even better, landing in the 92nd percentile. At 6′6″ with a 6′11″ wingspan, his quickness, timing, and anticipation make him a formidable presence—traits that Thunder GM Sam Presti and coach Mark Daigneault really appreciate. On the offensive side, Barnhizer showed efficiency with a 41.4 FG%, but he was inconsistent from three-point range, hitting only 31% and just 26.6% on catch-and-shoot opportunities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now His mid-range shot and passing ability are notable—he averaged 4.2 assists per game—but he lacks that explosive speed, and his shooting technique is still a work in progress. Nevertheless, his 76% free-throw shooting indicates he has a solid touch, and the development staff in OKC could help him improve his range. Reports suggest Barnhizer is moving towards a two-way contract with the Thunder. He'll probably share his time between OKC and the Blue in the G League, in a setup created by coach Kam Woods that reflects the NBA organization. With Thunder mainstays like Aaron Wiggins and Alex Ducas following this trajectory, Barnhizer's defensive adaptability and energy position him well in that growth framework. Also Read: Oklahoma City's choice of Brooks Barnhizer at No. 44 is a strategic bet on his effort, defensive intelligence, and instincts. Even though a foot injury limited his senior season—and his shooting is still uncertain—his impressive college stats and competitive spirit fit well with Thunder culture. If he develops in OKC's program and improves his outside shooting, he might become an essential glue player. Regardless, anticipate him to battle for every minute as the season progresses.
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Brooks Barnhizer drafted by Oklahoma City Thunder in 2nd round — the 1st Northwestern player picked since 1999
Brooks Barnhizer's Northwestern career ended prematurely, but the 6-foot-6 wing made a little history Thursday night as the first former Wildcat to be picked in the NBA draft this century. The champion Oklahoma City Thunder selected Barnhizer with the No. 44 pick in the second round. The senior from Lafayette, Ind., is Northwestern's first draftee since Evan Eschmeyer in 1999 and only the second in the last 40 years. Barnhizer's final college season ended after 17 games when he suffered a foot injury that required surgery. He was averaging 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists — all career bests — before the injury, and without him the Wildcats missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years. Over four years in Evanston, Barnhizer played in 96 games and made 51 starts, averaging 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds. He was the first player off the bench as a sophomore, finishing fourth in scoring on a veteran team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. As a junior, Barnhizer started all 34 games, averaged 14.6 points and 7.5 rebounds and made the Big Ten's All-Defensive team and third-team all-conference. The Wildcats again advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32. ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo described Barnhizer before the draft as 'a good rebounder, capable playmaker and produced a surprising number of steals and blocks thanks to his all-out style of play,' though he raised questions about Barnhizer's outside shooting. With the Thunder, Barnhizer projects as an 'emergency bench option' on a two-way deal, Woo said, calling him 'the type of tough-minded glue guy that the Thunder tend to covet.'
CBS News
27-01-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Kylan Boswell scores 17 points as No. 17 Illinois defeats Northwestern
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kylan Boswell scored 17 points and had six rebounds to lead No. 17 Illinois over Northwestern 83-74 on Sunday. Morez Johnson Jr. had 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots, Ben Humrichous had 14 points, Kasparas Jakucionis had 11 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists and Jake Davis added 11 points from the bench for Illinois (14-6, 6-4 Big Ten). Nick Martinelli and Jalen Leach each scored 17 points Northwestern (12-8, 3-6), which trailed 43-21 at halftime. Ty Berry had 10 points. Illinois, the No. 2 rebounding team in the country, dominated the boards 50-27 without leading rebounder Tomislav Ivisic, who missed his second straight game because of an illness. The Illini had 21 offensive rebounds. Takeaways Illinois: The Illini had lost two straight at home and didn't play well in either game. They avoided a third consecutive home loss, which hasn't happened since 2017, with the win, but they were outscored 53-40 in the second half. Illinois committed 13 turnovers in the game that led to 24 Northwestern points. Northwestern: The Wildcats' dynamic duo of Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer average 37 points per game in Big Ten play. They were held to a combined 20 points, with Martinellli shooting 7 of 19 and Barnhizer 1 of 7. Barnhizer was hurting after taking a hard fall in Northwestern's last game. Key moment Illinois went on a 15-point run early in the first half to break a 5-5 tie and take a 20-5 lead. Northwestern didn't score for more than five minutes. Key stat Northwestern hasn't won in Champaign since 2013, losing nine straight games. Up next Illinois plays Thursday at Nebraska, while Northwestern hosts Rutgers on Wednesday.
