The former NU star must embrace both the growth and grind that comes with this exciting opportunity
Brooks Barnhizer was already a Wildcat legend. Now, his place in the history books is etched in stone.
On Wednesday night, Brooks Barnhizer was selected as the Oklahoma City Thunder’s No. 44 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Not only did he shatter NU’s 26-year drought of producing a draft pick, he also ended up in one of the best player development systems in the NBA.
Oklahoma City has quickly blossomed into a model NBA franchise. General manager Sam Presti architected a team around young studs, ones found through a chest full of picks acquired by their record-breaking trade of star forward Paul George. Those picks were meticulously used to draft players that showed potential. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Luguentz Dort — all homegrown talent that collectively blossomed into stars and made up the second-youngest squad to win a championship in the past 70 years.
All this to say, Barnhizer could very well be one of these guys. Presti has hit on so many draft picks, to know he sees something in Northwestern’s former captain should do anything but spark tremendous confidence in Barnhizer’s ceiling. If Presti thinks you have potential, odds are he’s right.
It’s important to note that Barnhizer signed a two-way contract, meaning he can split his time between the G-League and NBA. Given the depth of the current Thunder roster, the amount of NBA action he gets is contingent upon really impressive G-league play. But thankfully, he has a plethora of OKC stars and coaches to learn from as he continues his development.
Let’s further unpack the role Barnhizer can play with this Thunder team, including the skills he brings and what he can improve on to make himself OKC’s next slam dunk of a pick.
Alex Caruso/ Luguentz Dort 2.0?
Nobody is questioning why Barnhizer got drafted. He brings something that every team wants in an NBA player — resilience, toughness and versatility. Much of why Barnhizer rose up draft boards over the last month was because of the wide range in his skill set. He’s great at rebounding, getting steals, blocking shots, creating his own shot off the dribble, being a facilitator for the offense and arguably most important — playing selflessly. All of these traits will fit well on a Thunder team that clearly values and elevates players who possess those qualities, with the two prime examples being Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort.
Caruso has never been known as a scorer — he can provide shots from deep and be a force in transition, but throughout his playoff career has never averaged double figures and avoids taking ample shots. What Caruso brings is the exact kind of player Barnhizer embodies: a player seemingly everywhere, performing a jack-of-all trades role without being the primary shotmaker. This includes high-IQ basketball, gritty defense, guarding players of all heights and stature, running fast breaks and being the glue-guy of the team. These are all skills Barnhizer brings and can further lean into. And what better mentor is there than Caruso, who’s style has helped two teams win championships.
Dort is another player Barnhizer can learn from. The 3-and-D guard showcases high-intensity basketball on both ends of the floor, role players every team — especially championship franchises — covet. It’s the reason Presti drafted Barnhizer, and it’s the role he can and should embrace.
Chip Engelland working his magic to fix Barnhizer’s shot
Barnhizer’s greatest asset in Oklahoma City might not be a teammate, or even head coach Mark Daigneault. Instead, it could be shooting coach Chip Engelland, widely revered as one of the best assistant coaches in the league. Nicknamed the “shot doctor” who previously spent 17 years with the Spurs under Gregg Popovich, he is largely credited for the Thunder’s offensive success and helping rework player’s shot technique and consistency. The most notable one is Dort, who entered the league in a similar position to Barnhizer as he too struggled with his jump shot, shooting only 29% from three in his rookie year. But over time, as Engelland tweaked his shooting motion and worked with him over the offseason, Dort’s scoring got better and better. It culminated in 41% shooting this season from behind the arc, cementing his status as a threat from deep.
Barnhizer’s jump shot is the clear hole in his game. He converted only 30.9% from three at Northwestern and lacked efficiency. In a league that has never been more dependent on shotmaking from deep, this has to improve for him to make and remain on OKC’s roster. The good thing is, coaches like Engelland have a proven track record of success. Just as he fixed Dort, he can help fix Barnhizer. Whether it’s changing technique or helping him find his sweet spot on the court, Barnhizer is in great hands with a coach like Engelland.
As established above, even if Barnhizer is never known for his offense, that’s perfectly acceptable. But possessing some of sort of offensive threat is crucial to breaking through in a stacked roster full of players that can give you consistent buckets.
G-League to NBA is a proven path
Barnhizer may spend a whole year or two not touching an NBA court. But when he does, his play will have improved so much that he should be ready to make an instant impact. Take Aaron Wiggins for example. The Thunder’s 2021 second-round pick (taken at No. 55, 11 spots after Barnhizer) also started on a two-way contract before earning his way onto the Thunder roster. He has now become a key member of their bench, averaging 12 points on 48.8% shooting this past season and dropping double-figure scoring performances in the NBA Finals.
There is a bonafide and clear path to success that Barnhizer can look towards, with precedent to support it. The entire ‘Cats fanbase will be watching and supporting Barnhizer as he walks that path. The hard part is done, as he got his foot in the door. Now the fun part begins — seeing what he accomplishes inside a franchise that time and time again turns potential into prowess.