OKC Thunder Rookie Brooks Barnhizer Reflects Team Identity

The Oklahoma City Thunder won Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, June 22. It drafted Georgetown big man Thomas Sorber with the No. 15 overall pick three days later and Northwestern wing Brooks Barnhizer with the No. 44 pick four days later — proving the work never concludes regardless of status or skill.

Sorber enters Oklahoma City and the league with prominent pedigree. The 6-foot-9 19-year-old was a top-50 national recruit in the 2024 class, led Georgetown to 18 wins after it had suffered three straight brutal seasons and was a universal first-round prospect. He provided consistent rebounding and rim protection in 24 college games, thanks to a 7-foot-6 wingspan and uncommon physicality for a freshman, with long-term question marks including efficiency against quality competition and half-court offensive impact.

Barnhizer, on the other hand, is an underdog professional despite three productive Northwestern campaigns in a four-year college career. The 6-foot-6, jack-of-all-trades 23-year-old brought rebounding, passing and defensive playmaking to the Wildcats, with excellent hustle play but wildly inconsistent scoring and shooting efficiency — a potential pitfall in today's NBA.

In Saturday afternoon's 2025 Thunder draft class press conference, Barnhizer revealed he would be ecstatic if he knew he could end up with the reigning champion.

"OKC was my first workout," Barnhizer said. "I was able to sit down with Mr. Presti for a long time, and he gave me what it means to be a Thunder. Ever since then, I did about 16 total workouts, but it was always on my mind."

Barnhizer referenced multiple phrases engrained in the Thunder's culture, including "stacking days" and "pressure is a privilege," for incorporating himself into a young but extremely successful roster. He said he is excited to get going, attributing the mindset to everything happening for a reason.

"This is one of the best defensive teams in the last however many years in the NBA," Barnhizer said. "Just to be able to be around guys like (Alex) Caruso and (Luguentz) Dort — and it doesn't even stop there. ... To join that family and be submerged in that, I only think there's positives to come. It's a match made in heaven."

Oklahoma City will release its complete Summer League roster later this week. Barnhizer, Sorber and 2024 first-rounder Nikola Topic are coming off injuries but could suit up for the Thunder this July.