Brooks Barnhizer's Cryptic Social Media Post Suggests Northwestern Return
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When Brooks Barnhizer posted that he would never wear another college jersey on Friday morning, the message garnered cheers from Northwestern fans, but also raised some questions.
The previous consensus was that Barnhizer was out of eligibility, but rumors over the last week created speculation that the senior forward was attempting to earn a fifth-year waiver from the NCAA because of an injury that limited him to 11 games in his freshman 2021-22 season.
Barnhizer essentially confirmed in his post that he would not suit up for his hometown Purdue Boilermakers, as many rumors had believed. However, his exact language did not clarify what his future plans entailed. While "never wearing another college jersey" could mean he's heading to the NBA Draft, it could also mean he received a waiver and would never wear another college jersey other than Northwestern's.
As Northwestern fans rejoiced at Barnhizer's initial message, the star forward dropped a cryptic message 18 minutes later that could suggest a return to the Wildcats for a fifth and final collegiate season.
— Brooks Barnhizer (@BrooksBarnhizer) April 11, 2025
In the photo, Barnhizer is lacing up his shoes, potentially for one last run with the Wildcats. Barnhizer posted the same photo to his Instagram story with three purple heart emojis, along with a photo that reads, "Delayed does not mean denied. God's plan is perfect." That could either refer to difficulties in obtaining and appealing for a waiver or Barnhizer's return from his season-ending foot injury.
Four minutes later, Albert Ferastrau, Northwestern's Assistant Director of Creative Video, posted a photo of Barnhizer dribbling a basketball to his own social media account. Barnhizer appears to be in Northwestern's Trienens Performance Center, where the team's basketball practice courts are located.
Per my sources 😉 @BrooksBarnhizer pic.twitter.com/EL9hoi8F1D
— albert fera (@albert_fera) April 11, 2025
While there's no way to know until Barnhizer himself confirms his plans to return to Northwestern for a fifth season, his mysterious posts certainly seem to be heading in that direction. The Wildcats currently have two available roster spots after the transfer portal addition of South Florida guard Jayden Reid, and Chris Collins may be keeping one of them open in hopes for Barnhizer to come back.
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Gavin Dorsey is the Lead Writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI and covers a handful of other teams in the On SI network. Before joining On SI in February 2025, he wrote for the Star Tribune and Inside NU while broadcasting college sports for both radio and television. Dorsey is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, where he also studied psychology. In his free time, he enjoys running and being outdoors. Dorsey is currently a freelance writer for the Associated Press, covering Chicago area sports teams.
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