Barnhizer is the first Northwestern player to be drafted into the NBA since Evan Eschmeyer in 1999.
For the first time in the 21st century, a Northwestern men’s basketball player has heard his name called in the NBA draft.
On Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected former Northwestern shooting forward Brooks Barnhizer at No. 44 overall in the 2025 NBA draft. Barnhizer is the first Wildcat selected since Evan Eschmeyer was picked by the New Jersey Nets at No. 34 in 1999.
The Champions get a Winner @BrooksBarnhizer is going to OKC. pic.twitter.com/wzdyTCwMA5
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) June 27, 2025
Barnhizer averaged 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his senior season at Northwestern before a lingering foot injury forced his college career to come to an unceremonious close. He was a key piece on both of the Wildcat tournament teams in 2023 and 2024, and he hit a game-tying layup with 8.1 seconds left against FAU to force overtime in Northwestern’s first-round win against the Owls in 2024. Barnhizer earned All-Big Ten Third Team and Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors for his efforts during Northwestern’s 2024 tournament run.
Captain Brooks, as Barnhizer was affectionately labeled during his senior season, will go down as one of the most beloved Wildcats of all time for his unparalleled motor and comic book toughness. He didn’t miss a game after losing his two front teeth in a practice collision, and he stayed on the floor after his replacement teeth were knocked out in a midseason loss against Purdue. Head coach Chris Collins broke down in tears when announcing that Barnhizer’s foot injury would force him to miss the rest of his senior season.
“My main thing with him the whole time was when it is over, let’s know we emptied the tank,” said a teary-eyed Collins in February. “And we did. There’s no regrets. He gave it all to this program.”
With Oklahoma City being the 2025 NBA champions, Barnhizer landed himself on arguably the league’s most stacked team at the moment. The Thunder finished the 2024-25 season with an NBA-best 68-14 record and the far-and-away No. 1 overall ranking in the Western Conference. It is also a team filled with youth — its average age of 25.6 years made it the youngest team to win an NBA championship since 1977.
Barnhizer joins a crowded Oklahoma City roster that saw five different guards average more than 10 minutes per game in the playoffs, but there is absolutely a path for Northwestern’s No. 13 to carve out a role with the defending champs, especially if the Thunder are forced to part with All-Defensive Team guard Luguentz Dort. That’s an NBA player comp for Barnhizer if there ever was one.
The other rookie drafted by Oklahoma City this year was Colorado State shooting guard Nique Clifford, picked No. 24 overall in the first round.
Barnhizer will not be the only Wildcat working in Oklahoma City — he joins 2022 basketball alum Ryan Greer, who now works for the Thunder as a video analyst. While Greer earned a ring on Sunday night, a Northwestern alumni has never won an NBA title as a player. Captain Brooks has a chance to be the first as the Thunder enter the 2025-26 NBA season as favorites to repeat as champions.
Regardless of what happens next, Barnhizer’s selection will be a moment forever etched in Northwestern men’s basketball history. Yet another reason to hang that No. 13 jersey in the rafters.