Brooks Barnhizer only spent three years of his basketball journey in Lafayette.
During that time, Barnhizer etched his name among Lafayette Jeff’s all-time greats.
Now, he’s an NBA draft pick.
The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder selected Barnhizer, a 2021 Lafayette Jeff graduate who played the past four seasons at Northwestern University, with the 44th pick in the 2025 NBA draft on Thursday night, June 26.
As a senior at Lafayette Jeff, Barnhizer led the Bronchos to a sectional championship and averaged 32.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 3.8 steals and 2.6 blocks. He was named an Indiana All-Star after the season.
What Brooks Barnhizer brings to Oklahoma City Thunder
At 6-foot-7, Barnhizer was an all-around player during his high school career, showcasing his ability to rebound, defend, score and handle the ball while setting up teammates.
Those traits carried over to the Big Ten.
At Northwestern, Barnhizer joined the Wildcats’ 1,000-point club despite playing in just 94 games during a college career that was shortened due to injuries.
During the 2023-24 season, Barnhizer started all 34 games for Northwestern and showcased his all-around game at the college level, shooting nearly 35% from 3-point range and averaging 15.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2 steals to help lead the Wildcats to a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
As a senior, Barnhizer missed time early due to injury, then returned before necessary surgery on an injured foot ended his college career after just 17 games as a senior in which he averaged career bests of 18.5 points and 9.6 rebounds to go with 4.6 assists, 2.5 steals and 2 blocks per game.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Former Lafayette Jeff standout Brooks Barnhizer joins youthful NBA championship roster
Reporting by Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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