Brooks Barnhizer

Last updated
Brooks Barnhizer
No. 23Oklahoma City Thunder
Position Shooting guard
League NBA
Personal information
Born (2002-03-02) March 2, 2002 (age 23)
Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school
College Northwestern (2021–2025)
NBA draft 2025: 2nd round, 44th overall pick
Drafted by Oklahoma City Thunder
Playing career2025–present
Career history
2025–present Oklahoma City Thunder
2025–presentOklahoma City Blue
Career highlights
  • Third-team All-Big Ten (2024)
  • Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2024)
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Brooks Barnhizer (born March 2, 2002) [1] is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Northwestern Wildcats.

Contents

Early life and high school career

Barnhizer grew up in Elkhart, Indiana before moving to Irvington, Alabama in 2015. [2] He began playing for the varsity basketball team at Alma Bryant High School, where his father was the head basketball coach, while in eight grade. [3] After his sophomore year, Barnhizer's family moved to Lafayette, Indiana and he transferred to Jefferson High School. [4] He averaged 20.7 points per game as a junior. [5] As a senior, Barnhizer averaged a state-high 32.7 points per game while also averaging 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 3.8 steals, and 2.6 blocks. [6] Barnhizer was rated a three-star recruit and committed to playing college basketball for Northwestern over offers from Butler, Xavier, and Western Kentucky. [7] [8]

College career

Barnhizer played in 11 games during his freshman season with the Northwestern Wildcats and averaged 1.7 points per game. [9] He played in all 34 of the Wildcats’ games as a sophomore as the team’s sixth man and averaged 7.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. [10] [11]

Junior Season (2023–24)

During his junior season, Barnhizer moved into Northwestern’s starting lineup and started all 34 games, averaging 14.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. [12] He recorded 10 double-doubles—the most in a single season by a Northwestern guard—and was named third-team All-Big Ten Conference as well as earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. [13] He also played a key role in Northwestern’s consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including scoring the tying layup to force overtime in the Wildcats’ first-round win over Florida Atlantic.

Senior Season (2024–25)

In his senior season, Barnhizer was selected to the preseason All-Big Ten Conference team by media. Through 17 games, he averaged 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, recording nine double-doubles with a streak of seven consecutive games—a program record. [14] In January 2025, he aggravated a lingering foot injury and missed the remainder of the season. [15] Despite the shortened campaign, he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference honors and was recognized as Northwestern’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.

Career Statistics and Milestones

Barnhizer finished his collegiate career with 1,067 points, posting career averages of 11.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists over 96 games (51 starts). He became the first Big Ten player since Michael Redd to reach at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 200 assists within his first 96 career games, while also recording 133 steals and 62 blocks. [16]

Professional career

Oklahoma City Thunder (2025–present)

Barnhizer was selected with the 44th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA draft. [17]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2021–22 Northwestern 1107.5.231.182.833.71.0.5.31.7
2022–23 Northwestern 34024.3.410.310.8364.91.1.8.47.6
2023–24 Northwestern 343436.7.429.348.7667.52.61.8.814.6
2024–25 Northwestern 171736.9.414.266.7648.84.22.31.117.1
Career965129.0.415.310.7826.12.21.4.611.1

References

  1. "Brooks Barnhizer Player Profile, Northwestern - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  2. "'Family affair:' Indiana native Mark Barnhizer, 2 sons putting Alma Bryant basketball on map". AL.com . January 11, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  3. "State's leading scorer Brooks Barnhizer having monster season. 'He does this every night.'". Indianapolis Star . January 23, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  4. "FAU's Dusty May got 'foundation of basketball' from Lafayette Jeff's Mark Barnhizer". Journal & Courier . March 31, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  5. "2021 Indiana Mr. Basketball: These 12 players have strong cases". Indianapolis Star . January 28, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  6. "J&C Big School Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Lafayette Jeff's Brooks Barnhizer". Journal & Courier . April 24, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  7. "Lafayette Jeff's Brooks Barnhizer commits to Northwestern basketball". Journal & Courier . June 21, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  8. "Brooks Barnhizer, a top-150 basketball recruit from Indiana, commits to Northwestern's 2021 class". Chicago Tribune . June 21, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  9. Ankony, Jack (October 26, 2023). "Big Ten Basketball Breakout Players For 2023-24 Season". SI.com. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  10. "Brooks Barnhizer lifting NCAA tournament bound Northwestern". Journal & Courier. March 14, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  11. Cole, Ryan (June 8, 2024). "What would Brooks Barnhizer look like running the point for NU?". InsideNU.com. SB Nation. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  12. Jacobs, Charlie (October 30, 2024). "2024-25 Men's Basketball Player Previews: Brooks Barnhizer". InsideNU.com. SB Nation. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  13. "Can Northwestern basketball finish with a winning record in 3 straight seasons for the 1st time since 2012?". Chicago Tribune. November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  14. "Northwestern's Barnhizer making impact in senior season before injury". Journal & Courier. January 20, 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  15. "Northwestern's Barnhizer sidelined with foot injury". Journal & Courier. January 15, 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  16. Jacobs, Charlie (October 30, 2024). "2024-25 Men's Basketball Player Previews: Brooks Barnhizer". InsideNU.com. SB Nation. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  17. "How Sam Presti, OKC Thunder discovered Brooks Barnhizer well in advance of 2025 NBA Draft". The Oklahoman . June 30, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2025.