2025 NBA Draft Scouting Report for Oklahoma City Thunder No. 44 Pick Brooks Barnhizer
The Oklahoma City Thunder have selected Brooks Barnhizer with the No. 44 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
A four-year player (and two-year starter) for Northwestern, Brooks Barnhizer absolutely stuffed the stat sheet as a senior in 2024-25. A broken foot ended his campaign after 17 games, but he put up 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.1 blocks before he went down.
His outside shot could use some work, as he shot only 31.0 percent from deep during college. But that kind of well-rounded production suggests he can be a solid gap-filler, with the potential to even engineer some individual possessions like Austin Reaves.
The son of a high school coach and former Division I player, Barnhizer has a good feel for the game and can occasionally finish above the rim.
Essential Facts and Stats
College: Northwestern | Position: SF | Height: 6’6" | Weight: 215 | Age: 23 | Wingspan: 6’11" | PPG: 17.1 | RPG: 8.8 | APG: 4.2 | BPG: 1.1 | SPG: 2.3 | FG%: 41.4
Realistic Pro Comparison: John Konchar
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Austin Reaves is sort of a best-case scenario for Barnhizer. But Memphis Grizzlies veteran John Konchar is perhaps the more realistic comp.
Konchar similarly stuffed the stat sheet in college, though his three-point numbers were far more encouraging Barnhizer’s.
Still, the ability to impact the game as a passer, ball-hawk and rebounder has helped Konchar carve out a career that lasted beyond his rookie contract. Barnhizer may be able to do the same.
Strengths
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Toughness: The driving force behind Barnhizer’s well-rounded production may well be just how hard he plays. He never appears to take possessions off, fearlessly drives into contact and attacks the boards like a big.
Rebounding: That brings us to his second strength. Despite his prototypical wing size, Barnhizer was able to swing games as a rebounder. His consistent effort certainly contributed to that, but he also showed solid timing and instincts on this front.
Passing: Though he may not develop into the kind of NBA playmaker that Austin Reaves has, Barnhizer certainly produced more than most players at his position as a passer. Relative to other small forwards, his vision and willingness to give up the ball to open teammates is a plus.
Weaknesses
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Athleticism: When you watch his highlight reels, you’ll see some jams, but Barnhizer doesn’t have the kind of pop-off-the-screen athleticism that many first-rounders do. His lateral quickness could get exposed by NBA ball-handlers, too.
Shooting: This is a big one, especially for a wing. Barnhizer didn’t have a single big year as an outside shooter and only made 26.6 percent of his three-point attempts as a senior. A somewhat inconsistent and loose shooting form could prevent him from making quick improvements, too.
Age: Barnhizer has less developmental runway than younger players do. His underwhelming numbers during his first few years in college suggest he wasn’t able to dominate until he aged a bit and had freshmen and sophomores to bully in his last season.
