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This Thunder Rookie Guard Benefits from the Nikola Topic Injury

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While they had a fair offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t without problems. With the Nikola Topic injury sending yet another change in OKC’s potential rotation, another Thunder rookie guard gets to shine in his stead.

This is no other than Brooks Barnhizer. The one who played hard as hell in his recent matchup with Cooper Flagg. This just says a lot about his sudden rise to prominence, as Topic will be missing at least four to six weeks of action. This is already the second injury that the Serbian guard is facing in his time with Oklahoma City. He is also the second Thunder rookie to miss the season opener due to surgery/injury. The other is Thomas Sorber, who was ruled out ahead of the Summer League.

This Thunder Rookie Benefits from the Nikola Topic Injury

While this may hamper the progress for Topic, this is a big win for Barnhizer. After all, he is one of the two-way players who will be fighting for a standard contract with the team. Now it is his time to make his presence felt even further.

Barnhizer is Making Noise Again

It didn’t take long for Brooks Barnhizer to find his way among Thunder news outlets. Barnhizer was initially adjusting to the OKC playstyle in the Summer League before he started blitzing in his game. His hustle, dedication to a high-energy defense, and gritty play style are putting him really close to the team’s approach to the game.

In fact, Barnhizer is mostly compared to Alex Caruso, Luguentz Dort, and Cason Wallace. Those three are all prime defenders for Oklahoma City, and being compared to them is a good sign. After all, Barnhizer is just a two-way player for the defending champions. This means he will have to earn his way if he is going to get a guaranteed deal with the team.

Back in the 2K26 Summer League, Barnhizer was a standout in doing all the little things. He even posted 19 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, an assist, and a steal in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He also shot 8-12 from the field in that game, which says a lot about his potential as a consistent player.

Then, there’s his recent stride in the Thunder preseason loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Barnhizer posted 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal. That’s another great performance early in October, but what fans loved about it was his defense on Cooper Flagg. Being an elite performer against the first overall pick and projected ROTY is definitely a huge boost to his case.

Can Barnhizer Make the Most of His Run?

Based on how OKC two-way players performed last season, Barnhizer has a lot to prove. Branden Carlson is signed to yet another proving deal, while Dillon Jones was traded. It’s not looking good to begin with. However, Barnhizer’s potential stands bigger than the two players mentioned. Considering his great frame and impressive basketball IQ, there’s a lot to look forward for him.

There’s just a lot of hype surrounding Barnhizer. The last time OKC had a dynamic guard like him who played for the Blue? Caruso ended up contributing to the Thunder’s championship run. With Barnhizer also set to play for the G-League affiliate, all roads are expected to lead him to a standard contract. The mere fact that a second-rounder was able to hound the no. 1 pick and even score more than him in their first meeting is a blast.

If there’s one good thing that the Nikola Topic injury brings to the table for OKC, it’s a chance for another Thunder rookie guard to prove his worth. With the way things are swinging for Brooks Barnhizer, expect him to play even better in the next set of Thunder preseason games.

© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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