Thunder's Barnhizer Posts Another Impressive Summer League Stat Line

The Thunder took on the Jazz last night.

Michigan guard Nimari Burnett (4) tries to steal the ball from Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) during the first half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Northwestern star Brooks Barnhizer played in his third game of Summer League action last night for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Utah Jazz.

After a near double-double in his first game, his second game left a little to be desired. Barnhizer scored just two points on 1-of-5 shooting, and he wrangled only two rebounds. But last night, Barnhizer looked like that player from game one.

In just over 26 minutes, a top-three mark on the team, Barnhizer scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished out three assists and racked up two steals and two blocks. It was the kind of box score stuffing Northwestern fans became accustomed to last season.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign from his performance, though, was his three-point shooting. Barnhizer made both shots he took from beyond the arc. His ability to knock down shots from long-range is very much in question as he enters his rookie season, and it's something he needs to start doing consistently.

"I think, for me, it’s always really going to be [about] 'how well can I shoot the three-ball?'" Barnhizer said in a press conference last week. "You know, catch and shoot, off the moves, things of that nature to get me to stay on the court where my defense and competitive edge and just toughness will really come to fruition."

Barnhizer will enter next season on a two-way deal, looking to prove to Thunder brass that he belongs on the NBA roster. The Thunder, coming off a championship, are among the league's deepest teams, so it will be a tough depth chart to climb. But if Barnhizer's shooting improves, the rest of his game might make him an asset worth rostering.