Brooks Barnhizer, OKC Thunder to Play for NBA Summer League Championship

The former Northwestern Wildcat has thrived since being drafted to the NBA.

March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) controls the ball against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Six months after his senior season at Northwestern was cut short by a foot injury, Brooks Barnhizer is back in full swing at the NBA Summer League. The Oklahoma City Thunder rookie has led his team to the Summer League Playoffs and will have the opportunity to win the Summer League Championship over the weekend.

The second-round pick has garnered praise for his all-around play for the Thunder this month. In seven games between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, Barnhizer has averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game on 52.7% shooting. His team-leading 19 points, nine rebounds and two blocks on Wednesday helped OKC advance to a perfect 4-0 record in Vegas.

Thanks to Oklahoma City's +14.8 point differential, the Thunder clinched the No. 2 seed in the Summer League Playoffs. While six teams finished undefeated, only four will get the chance to play for a title.

The Raptors earned the No. 1 seed after a 12-point win against the Warriors on Thursday night, while the No. 3 seed Hornets and No. 4 seed Kings round out the field. Toronto and Sacramento will face off in the first semifinal on Saturday, July 19 at 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT. Oklahoma City is then set to face Charlotte at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT, with the winners advancing to the Championship match.

The 12th NBA Summer League Championship Game tips off a day later on Sunday, July 20 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Only the Sacramento Kings (2014, 2021) have won the mid-summer tournament before among the group, as the Raptors, Thunder and Hornets are each looking for their first victory. Both semifinal games and the Championship will be televised on ESPN.

Barnhizer's 3.8 steals per game in Las Vegas rank fourth among NBA Summer League participants, but the Thunder rookie has done so while fouling at an incredibly low rate. While the three players with a higher steal average have each been called for at least three fouls per game, Barnhizer has done so at a rate of just 1.3.