Barnhizer isn’t high on any draft boards, but there are many teams that could benefit from the Northwestern guard.
With the 2025 NBA draft to begin in just a few hours, Northwestern fans are gearing up to be glued to their TVs in hopes of hearing their beloved captain be called up to the stage.
The last time this energy filled the streets of Evanston was a quarter of a century ago: 1999, when center Evan Eschmeyer was drafted late in the second round to the New Jersey Nets. As outlandish as this reality may seem to some, the prospect of Adam Silver announcing Barnhizer’s name would help to wash away a salty taste in the mouths of many following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign that came with a premature end to No. 13’s career.
Before diving into the three teams I’ve selected for the captain, let’s establish what he can bring to an NBA roster.
Barnhizer has the ability to play a TJ McConnell/Josh Hart role on a good team — someone who’s biggest priority is wreaking havoc on the perimeter with his elite defense and a wrecking-ball tenacity on the glass. His hustle and toughness have made him one of the most beloved Wildcats in recent memory, and he lies in the upper echelon of both categories compared to other prospects. On the offensive side, he’s lethal from mid-range and has a knack of getting himself to the free throw line on a consistent basis. Sounds a little like the reigning Finals MVP, though like young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Barnhizer will quickly have to answer for his shortcomings from behind the arc.
With the groundwork laid, let’s discuss three team that could benefit from building upon what Barnhizer brings to the table
Washington Wizards
With the Wizards flipping Jordan Poole for CJ McCollum’s expiring contract, it’s clear that Washington has fully shifted its focus towards the rebuild. General Manager Will Dawkins will look for his centerpiece at pick six, with names like Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson, and Jeremiah Fears likely to be on the board.
However, Barnhizer is the textbook role player that Washington can benefit from.
If Dawkins ends up signing McCollum at the end of the 2025-26 season, the trajectory of this ball club seems to be headed towards a ‘3-and-D’ ideology. Barnhizer checks all the boxes on defense and was a competent three-point shooter in his junior season before a foot injury led to his poor 26.6% clip from downtown as a senior.
While a McCollum-Barnhizer ‘splash brothers’ pairing is a little unlikely, No. 13’s midrange game and tenacity at the rim could clear the way or Kris Middleton and Marcus Smart to create bigger impacts on offense, creating a well-rounded system waiting to be spearheaded by a superstar free-agent in the future.
Phoenix Suns
Brooks Barnhizer is no Kevin Durant, but at least Phoenix would be getting themselves a solid mid-range shot that helps to fill a huge void left by the greatest scorer in NBA history.
In a last-ditch effort to build around Devin Booker, the Suns adding Barnhizer seems to add little to no value or intrigue to a franchise in need of young prospects. However, when thinking about the additions of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, adding the Lafayette native to a draft class that is likely to include fellow Big Ten alum Derik Queen lays the groundwork for a fast-paced offensive juggernaut.
Going back to 2021, the Suns found success with Booker as the No. 1 option, Chris Paul being a dynamic point guard, Deandre Ayton contributing big points down low, and Mikal Bridges providing a threat as well. We can see many foils of this Western Conference Championship roster in the formation of a future playoff contender: As Booker remains in Phoenix for the time being and Green is growing to become dynamic as a point guard can be, Queen has tools that will seem him have his way in the paint, and following a season or two in the G League, Barnhizer can slot right into what Bridges’ role used to be as a scoring guard. Barnhizer can be a key contributor in a serious Suns title push three to five years down the line.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies could immediately benefit from Captain’s defense in a conference loaded with elite point guards.
I do understand this take will ruffle the feathers of many, but there is no other prospect in this draft class with the right combination of athleticism, heart, and grit that could develop into a lockdown defender that teams can trust to stop the league’s best. Brooks Barnhizer has the build and defensive acumen to challenge guys like Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, Paul George, SGA, or even Stephen Curry on the permiter.
Memphis is a team that seems to be ‘right there’ — right on the cusp of competing for a title as the No. 2 seed in the West in 2023 but unable string together four wins in a playoff seires. They were bounced by Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz in round one of the 2021 playoffs, then got dispatched by Curry and the Warriors in the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals before LeBron and the Lake Show (no, not Evanston’s, but the one in LA) sent them packing in round one in 2023. They’d miss the playoff altogether last year before SGA and the Thunder rolled through Ja Morant and company this year en route to claiming the title.
The common denominator is that each star on these squads has their way with the Grizzlies under the bright lights. However, none of these players would be licking their chops at a young, hungry Barnhizer staring back on the other end of the court.
He’s the only one willing to take a charge from LeBron, chase Curry through multiple off-ball screens, or guard Doncic full-court. Barnhizer’s natural tenacity is what gives him consistent success on the defensive end, and it’s the biggest asset he could provide to a title contender in the West.