Major Media Outlet Mocks Former Northwestern Star to Indiana Pacers

The NBA Draft is this upcoming Wednesday.

Jan 19, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) reacts after the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The 2025 NBA Draft is coming up on Wednesday which means mock draft season is at its peak. Earlier this week, Bleacher Report released an article projecting former Northwestern wing Brooks Barnhizer to land with the Indiana Pacers.

As it turns out, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic agrees. He, too, mocked Barnhizer to the Pacers at pick No. 54 in a recent draft for the site.

If this scenario were to play out, it would be a cool landing spot for Barnhizer, an Indiana native. In high school, he was named a finalist for Mr. Basketball Indiana before coming to Northwestern to begin his college career.

At Northwestern, Barnhizer was beloved. He was the heart-and-soul of the team. He was a leader by example. He was the captain. By his senior season, he was the number one reason people came to watch games. That was the kind of star he was around campus.

Barnhizer's senior season was cut short by a foot injury, news that shook the fanbase to its core and had head coach Chris Collins crying making the announcement. But he did enough to garner some attention from NBA scouts before he went down.

Barnhizer averaged 17.1 points per game, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists all while being a high-effort, high-IQ, defense-first kind of player. His jump shot is hitchy and weird, and that's probably one of the reasons he isn't being mocked higher. But it's easy to see why NBA teams think they could use a player like No. 13.

In a professional league often criticized for lacking intensity (at least in the regular season), Barnhizer would be a breath of fresh air for any team that drafts him. There's no doubt he'd be out there hustling and giving it his all on every possession. He simply doesn't know any other way.

Northwestern fans will be rooting Barnhizer on as he embarks on this next stage of his career. His odds of getting drafted aren't 100%, but recent mocks like Vecenie's certainly inspire some level of belief.