After McKinney defined Wildcats basketball for a decade, Northwestern retired his No. 30 jersey<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n Pat Baldwin<\/p>\n Next comes the 1994 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Pat Baldwin<\/a>. Long before he became Milwaukee\u2019s head coach, he suited up for Northwestern for four seasons (1990-1994). In that era, he was responsible for guarding eventual NBA lottery picks like Shawn Respert<\/a> (Michigan State) and Jalen Rose<\/a> (Michigan). Baldwin was such an outstanding player, still holds the school\u2019s record in career steals (272). On top of that, he ranks fourth all-time in assists (452) at Northwestern.<\/p>\n It suffices to say, Baldwin more than earned his place on this roster.<\/p>\n Bryant McIntosh<\/p>\n When Northwestern clinched their first-ever NCAA tournament berth in 2017, Bryant McIntosh<\/a> was spearheading the playmaking. However, as a Day 1 starter, the three-star recruit<\/a> was important for the Wildcats the moment he arrived in Evanston. In 2014-15, he even made the Big Ten All-Freshman team. He followed that up with a historic season, setting Northwestern\u2019s single-season assist record with 213 dimes. When it was all said and done, he finished as a career double-digit scorer (13.0 points per game) and the all-time assist leader in Northwestern history with 700 helpers (which is also good for eighth in Big Ten history).<\/p>\n Boo Buie<\/p>\n Boo Buie<\/a>\u00a0(2019-2024) was born to be a shooter. Northwestern\u2019s Xerxes, he was also a Spartan killer. Seriously, Buie was famous for ripping Michigan State fans\u2019 hearts out during his career.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n His clutch genes were even more important, with the two-time All-Big Ten selection leading the program to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (2023, 2024). For this and finishing his Wildcats career as the school\u2019s all-time leader in scoring with 2,187 points, Buie deserves a standing ovation.<\/p>\n Shooting Guards Jim Burns<\/a> (1964-1967) stayed home with the Wildcats after being an all-state player in high school. The eventual lawmaker had quite a strong run for Northwestern in the mid-60s. At 6-foot-4, he scored 17 or more points in each of his three seasons, capturing an All-Big Ten selection in 1966-67. In fact, he was named an All-American and an Academic All-American in 1967 as well.<\/p>\n As evidenced by his career path, the former fourth-round NBA Draft pick certainly had the brains and the scoring ability, as he was the primary scorer during his three seasons in Evanston.<\/p>\n Drew Crawford<\/p>\n Players that spend five seasons in college and manage to average 10 points or more in each season are gems. Drew Crawford<\/a> (2009-14) was once such a player for the Wildcats. His freshman campaign saw him bring home some major accolades. Not only was he named All-Freshman in the Big Ten in 2009-10, but he was also the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He finished his career with 1,920 points in 143 games (142 starts).<\/p>\n He certainly meant a lot to the Northwestern program.<\/p>\n Brooks Barnhizer<\/p>\n Brooks Barnhizer<\/a> (2021-2025) brought plenty of hustle and toughness during his Northwestern career. He could score the ball, but he was also stout on the defensive end of the floor. Perhaps even more impressively, after receiving minimal opportunity as a freshman, Brooks grew into a very reliable player. His development culminated in All-Big Ten and All-Big Ten Defensive Team honors in 2023-24.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, a leg injury derailed Barnhizer\u2019s promising senior season. However, he\u2019s now the first Wildcats player to be drafted since 1999, and the newest member of the NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder. His famous mustache won\u2019t soon be forgotten.<\/p>\n Small Forwards A key leader in both of the Wildcats\u2019 Big Ten championships, Joe Reiff<\/a> (1930-1933) was arguably the most important player to ever suit up for Northwestern. Funny enough, it was early enough in basketball that Reiff played in the frontcourt despite being 6-foot-3. Joe finished second to Purdue\u2019s John Wooden<\/a> in scoring in the Big Ten as a junior in 1931-32. He was also a two-time Consensus All-American.<\/p>\n Otto Graham<\/p>\n Likely more known for football, Otto Graham<\/a> (1941-1944) also starred on the basketball court while at Northwestern. In fact, he was on a basketball scholarship before he started playing football as a sophomore. Graham didn\u2019t let his football career get in the way of excelling on the court though, as he was a two-time Consensus All-American.<\/p>\n Now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he was truly a multi-sport star.<\/p>\n Vic Law<\/p>\n Injuries had Vic Law<\/a> (2014-2019) pretty limited early in his career. However, after missing the entire 2015-16 season, Law was ready to pitch in. In each of the next three seasons, he averaged at least 12 points and five rebounds per game. The season that Northwestern reached its first-ever NCAA Tournament (2016-17), he was also named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. By the end of his Wildcats career, the 6-foot-7 and 220-pound forward racked up 1,442 points and 710 rebounds.<\/p>\n Nick Martinelli<\/p>\n Nick Martinelli<\/a> is still playing for the Wildcats, but that doesn\u2019t mean he doesn\u2019t belong on this Northwestern roster. Rated as the seventh-best player in Illinois coming out of high school, he\u2019s proven to be a legit scorer. After two rather inconsequential seasons, the rising senior averaged a conference-high 20.5 points per game in 2024-25. That performance led to an All-Big Ten selection this past season.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Martinelli is bound to take it to another level<\/a> during his final season in Evanston.<\/p>\n Power Forwards Before he was credited with the assist that got Wilt Chamberlain<\/a> his NBA-record 100th point, Joe Ruklick<\/a> (1956-1959) was starring for the Wildcats. He also had the daunting task of having to guard Chamberlain in his first collegiate game, in which the Hall of Fame center scored 51 points and pulled down 31 rebounds. With that being said, Rublick was a terrific player in his own right. He was a machine on the boards and a potent scorer, averaging at least 18 points and 12 rebounds per game in each of his three seasons at Northwestern.<\/p>\n In fact, Rublick has the ninth-highest rebound average (13.2) in Big Ten history.<\/p>\n Shon Morris<\/p>\n After averaging under seven points as a freshman, Shon Morris<\/a> (1984-1988) more than doubled his scoring average as a sophomore, averaging 16.0 points per game. Using his 6-foot-10 frame, he was able to be a star for Northwestern at a time when there wasn\u2019t any buzz around Evanston. Though he didn\u2019t earn any accolades, he was consistently one of the conference\u2019s best performers.<\/p>\n John Shurna<\/p>\n In a way, John Shurna<\/a> (2008-2012) followed in Morris\u2019s footsteps. Yet, Shurna eventually eclipsed Morris, leaving Northwestern as the school\u2019s all-time leader with 2,038 points. That record has since been broken by Buie. Nevertheless, Shurna and former Michigan State stud Draymond Green<\/a>\u00a0were the best big men in the Big Ten in 2011-12.<\/p>\n Centers Evan Eschmeyer<\/a> (1995-1999) spent six years in Evanston, after missing the first two with a major foot injury. That didn\u2019t stop Eschmeyer from becoming arguably the best center in the Big Ten. A beast on the glass, the 6-foot-11, 255-pound center felt like he was just bigger than everybody else in the conference. He also helped the Wildcats reach the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1999.<\/p>\n Before being selected in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft, Eschmeyer recorded 1,805 career points and 995 career rebounds. Ending his Northwestern tenure as a three-time All-Big Ten player and second-team consensus All-American, he belongs on this roster as much as anybody else.<\/p>\n Alex Olah<\/p>\n A behemoth of a big man at 7-foot-0 and 270 pounds, Alex Olah<\/a> (2012-2016) came from the same mold as Eschmeyer. A native Romanian, he used his European knowledge of basketball to carve out a solid four-year career with the Wildcats. Though not consistently a double-digit career scorer, he was skilled and willing to take shots from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n He was special for his rim-protection, as his size suggests. The Northwestern career block-leader, Olah swatted 181 shots during his career.<\/p>\n Honorable Mention<\/p>\n Tre Demps<\/a> (2011-2016)<\/p>\n Scottie Lindsey<\/a> (2014-2018)<\/p>\n Dererk Pardon<\/a> (2015-2019)<\/p>\n (Check Out Other All-Time Big Ten Teams)<\/p>\n Illinois All-Time<\/a><\/p>\n Indiana All-Time<\/a><\/p>\n Iowa All-Time<\/a><\/p>\n Maryland All-Time<\/a><\/p>\n Michigan All-Time<\/a><\/p>\n Michigan State All-Time<\/a><\/p>\n
\nJim Burns<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/USATSI_25660455_168414264_lowres-scaled.jpg\")
Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) sits on the bench and talks to Northwestern Wildcats guard K.J. Windham (24) on Thursday, March 13, 2025, during the second round of the men\u2019s Big Ten tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Northwestern Wildcats, 70-63.<\/p>\n
\nJoe Reiff<\/p>\n
\nJoe Ruklick<\/p>\n
\nEvan Eschmeyer<\/p>\n