Cleveland Cavaliers Host Workout With Northwestern Draft Prospect

The former Wildcat wing is a versatile defender and a capable slasher.

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

As the 2025 NBA Draft nears, Northwestern wing Brooks Barnhizer has been picking up steam as a potential draft pick. The Wildcats have not had a player selected since Evan Eschmeyer in 1999, but Barnhizer appears to have a strong chance to break the program's drought.

Barnhizer's senior season ended in January due to a foot injury, but the former Northwestern captain has utilized the pre-draft process to meet with NBA teams and display his talents. The 6-foot-6 wing worked out for the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings at the end of May, and on Thursday, the Cleveland Cavaliers entered the fold.

According to Cavaliers Insider Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, the team hosted Barnhizer and three other prospects for a pre-draft workout on Thursday. The four-year Wildcat was joined by Kentucky's Jaxson Robinson and Amari Williams and Ohio's AJ Clayton.

The Cavaliers have two second-round picks in next week's NBA Draft, No. 49 and No. 58 overall. Barnhizer has been projected to fall right into the range of Cleveland's picks, as a recent mock draft from Bleacher Report predicted he would be selected No. 54 overall by the Indiana Pacers.

However, Barnhizer's stock has also risen rapidly in recent weeks. He didn't crack ESPN's Top 100 big board until after the NCAA withdrawal deadline, but ranked as high as No. 45 in The Athletic's NBA Draft Guide on June 10.

Barnhizer's two-way prowess and on-ball defense would be a capable fit in the Cavaliers' lineup. Cleveland has four solidified stars in point guard Darius Garland, shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, power forward Evan Mobley and center Jarrett Allen, but has had to experiment to find rotation players whose playstyles mesh with the big names.

While Barnhizer wouldn't be a traditional 3-and-D wing, as he shot just 26.6% from deep last year, his tenacity on the perimeter could provide a worthy complement to subpar defenders like Mitchell and Garland. Barnhizer's ability to run in transition on offense and threaten to take the ball away on defense may outweigh his rough shooting season last year.

The NBA Draft will begin with the first round on June 25, followed by the second round on June 26.