Hours before Brooks Barnhizer heard his name called in the second round of the NBA Draft from the comfort of his childhood home Thursday, his phone buzzed with a text from former Northwestern guard Pete Nance.
A senior during Barnhizer’s freshman season at NU, Nance took the then-bench-riding rookie under his wing, encouraging him to stay in Evanston when he questioned whether he belonged after a lackluster first year.
“I remember going to him and being like: ‘Bro, I don’t know if I can play at this level,’” Barnhizer recalled during a virtual Wednesday press conference.
Seated in an Oklahoma City Thunder office chair, Barnhizer recalled that Nance told him to stay patient and assured him that he would become “a really good player one day.”
Three years later, Nance’s promise became a prophecy as Barnhizer became the first Wildcat drafted this century.
And Nance wasn’t the only one to reach out.
Former NU guard and all-time leading scorer Boo Buie FaceTimed Barnhizer shortly after his name was called, and former assistant coach Talor Battle — now at Penn State — was among the first to send congratulations.
The newly-minted Thunder guard called these messages emblematic of “lifelong connections,” adding that he and forward Nick Martinelli plan to organize weekly Bible studies to help teammates, past and present, stay connected as they move into “different facets of life.”
Barnhizer said Martinelli called to congratulate him on draft night and followed up a few days later, proposing the study.
Alongside the two former roommates, who were one of the most dangerous tandems in the Big Ten last season, Barnhizer said former players Parker Strauss and Blake Barkley — who both transferred from NU — are among those planning to join in.
“Kind of just hits on that family feel,” Barnhizer said. “There is no better place than Northwestern to go in terms of chemistry.”
Shortly after Thunder General Manager Sam Presti called to officially welcome him, Barnhizer’s phone rang again, this time with coach Chris Collins on the other end.
Barnhizer said Collins was tearing up as he repeated “you’re the first,” dialling in from dinner with a recruit to congratulate the first player drafted during his tenure.
According to Barnhizer, the pair previously discussed the importance of elevating NU’s reputation to a program with professional-caliber talent.
“Now it’s just continuing the agenda,” Barnhizer said. “We got a couple guys from Northwestern who have graduated and are in the NBA, but just trying to stay and grow in their roles.”
After Collins announced that a season-ending foot injury would sideline Barnhizer for the final weeks of his collegiate career in February, he routinely discussed how the veteran guard’s role as team captain shifted to become more of an assistant coach.
Though he spent more than half the team’s conference gauntlet in a boot, Barnhizer was a constant voice from the bench, routinely guiding the squad during team huddles and helping younger players take on larger roles after he and guard Jalen Leach sustained season-ending injuries.
Following a successful surgery and rehabilitation period, Barnhizer said he is back to 100% ahead of the NBA Summer League. The Thunder will take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday in their first contest of their off-season slate.
Barnhizer said being sidelined helped him prepare for what he believes his role on the Thunder could be early on.
“If my number is called in any way, shape or form, I’ll be able to go in there and give us a positive impact on the court, but also give us a positive impact from the bench,” he said.
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Related Stories:
— Men’s Basketball: Thunder select NU’s Barnhizer in second round of NBA Draft
— Men’s Basketball: Collins inks contract extension through 2030
— Northwestern men’s basketball suffers season-ending loss to Wisconsin
