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Braydon Hawthorne Ready to Prove His Talent On the Court For Kentucky

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2 months ago

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After redshirting his freshman year, Braydon Hawthorne has officially signed to return to Kentucky basketball for 2026-27. The former four-star wing prospect is ready to make an impact for Kentucky basketball.
Chet White | UK Athletics

There are a lot of question marks surrounding Kentucky basketball going into next season, but one of the biggest is Braydon Hawthorne.

Not if Hawthorne will be on the roster, the redshirt freshman has already signed his NIL contract and announced he is returning, but how talented is he, and how impactful will he be?

The former Top-35 prospect was a late addition for the Wildcats last offseason, a cherry on top of what many believed was a Final Four-contending roster. That roster, suffering multiple injuries, didn’t reach the heights set for them, and Hawthorne elected to redshirt.

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That didn’t stop Hawthorne from receiving rave practice reports, confirmed by the likes of Jack “Goose” Givens, or from Mark Pope comparing him to a Kentucky basketball legend.

“This Braydon Hawthorne, he is one of the most unique kids I’ve ever coached,” Pope said last summer. “I don’t know what his ceiling is, but if I were going to compare him to a player right now, and I’m doing this in incredible humility, there is so much of some type of Tayshaun Prince vibe in him.”

“This kid, I don’t know how soon it’s going to happen, but I think this kid has a chance to be special. He just might have the goods, man. Like, it’s very cool to watch it.”

After a season in the program and adding nearly 20 pounds to his frame, Hawthorne is ready to capitalize on his opportunity and prove he has the goods.

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“Get ready,” his father, Walter, told Kentucky fans over the weekend on the Heavy Pour Sports Podcast. Of course, a father has the utmost confidence in his son, but he is confident because of the work Braydon has put in.

Braydon was often the first one on the court pregame, getting a workout in with one of the team’s graduate assistants. However, that work ethic was there behind the scenes as well, from the weight room to the practice court. It is also beneficial when an All-SEC player like Otega Oweh takes you under his wing.

“Oweh took Braydon underneath his wing,” Walter explained. “I really appreciate that a lot. Braydon learned a lot from a lot of him.”

Oweh not only provided an example of how to be a leader and how to conduct yourself as a player at Kentucky, but the two also played 1v1 every day in practice. Playing against a player who relies on their physicality, like Oweh, is a great way to prepare you for SEC play. With the work he has put in, multiple people have expressed their confidence in Braydon’s ability to handle the physicality of the SEC next season.

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The staff is high on the impact Hawthorne can have for this team, and fans are intrigued by his potential. For Braydon himself, he just wants to win and prove himself.

“He’s trying to win,” Walter said. “He wants to make everyone proud. Kentucky was his favorite basketball team growing up, and for him to win a championship for Kentucky would mean the world to him.”

“He’s going to show everybody he’s got something to prove.”

Check out the full podcast here.

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Men's Basketball

College Basketball Rankings: Where Kentucky Stands in Updated “way-too-early” Polls

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Where Kentucky basketball stands in ESPN and CBS Sports updated way-too-early rankings after more coaching changes, player additions, and injuries.
UK Athletics

Last offseason, Kentucky was considered a top-10 team and a true title contender, but ended the season as one of the most disappointing teams in the country, winning just one game in the NCAA Tournament.

This offseason, Kentucky is barely cracking the top 15 in most preseason rankings and will look to climb the rankings throughout the season rather than fall.

Still 120+ days out from the start of the regular season, ESPN and CBS Sports have updated their “way-too-early” rankings following Dusty May’s jump from Michigan to the NBA, more player additions for teams, and some early-season-ending injuries.

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The rankings remain fairly static, however, with the Wildcats holding steady in ESPN’s rankings while moving ahead of St. John’s in CBS Sports’ rankings following Donnie Freeman’s Achilles injury.

ESPN

17. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (no change)

Impact newcomer: Milan Momcilovic

Momcilovic was the best transfer in the portal, after a season in which he established himself as the best shooter in college basketball. The 6-8 forward withdrew from the NBA draft on the night of the deadline, committing to coach Mark Pope’s team a few days later after also being pursued by Louisville and Arizona. He’s immediately an All-America contender and the most dangerous player on the Wildcats’ roster, after averaging 16.9 points and shooting 48.7% from 3 last season.

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Projected starting lineup

Zoom Diallo (15.7 PPG at Washington)
Alex Wilkins (17.8 PPG at Furman)
Milan Momcilovic (16.9 PPG at Iowa State)
Ousmane N’Diaye (9.8 PPG for Cremona in Serie A)
Malachi Moreno (7.8 PPG)

CBS Sports

16. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (⬆️1)

This ranking is based on the Wildcats returning one of the top six scorers — specifically Malachi Moreno — from a team that finished 22-14 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, Washington transfers Zoom Diallo and Franck Kepnang, Washington State transfer Jerone Morton, James Madison transfer Justin McBride, Providence transfer Alex Wilkins, four-star prospect Mason Williams and international prospect Ousmane N’Diaye.

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Discusses Final Assistant Coach Position, “I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces”

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope isn't rushing to fill Kentucky's final assistant coach opening, saying pending NCAA rules on international players could shift his plans.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball has operated this offseason without a full staff. Assistant coaches Alvin Brooks III and Jason Hart left the program back in March, and Mark Pope has only filled one of the two spots since, hiring former NBA All-Star Mo Williams from Jackson State.

Despite that, Kentucky managed to bring in the 3rd ranked transfer class in the country, highlighted by Milan Momcilovic, and have secured a commitment from 2027 five-star Ryan Hampton.

“I like my organization a lot right now. I think this group is functioning at a high level,” Pope said about his staff in an interview with BBN Tonight. “I like the way our staff feels. I like the way we feel in the staff meeting every day. I like the way we’re executing on the road. I like the way we feel on the court right now.”

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With an assistant coach position sitting vacant, Pope is satisfied with how his staff is performing and says there is no urgency in filling the role. Instead, he’s waiting to see how NCAA guidelines and rules unfold in the coming weeks.

“I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces, although I’m open to the idea,” he said.

“There are going to be a whole host of legal cases from our league testing the CSC and the NCAA on their current guidelines and rules on international players. And depending on what the outcome of those are, it could very much shift the direction we go with hiring.”

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Mark Pope Says Kentucky’s Final Roster Spot Is About Fit, “There’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece”

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope opens up on Kentucky Basketball's final roster spot, emphasizing fit over hype as the Nikola Kusturica recruitment nears a decision.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball is wrapping up its third week of practice in an eight-week summer training block. While the players are getting acclimated to Mark Pope’s system and to each other, there is still one roster spot to be filled.

“I am enjoying coaching these guys, but we’re also still really active in recruiting,” Pope said in an interview with BBN Tonight.

One name that Wildcat fans have been keeping a close eye on in recent weeks is Nikola Kusturica, a 17-year-old prospect from Serbia, who is currently playing for FC Barcelona and is a projected lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. His recruitment is down to Kentucky and UCLA, with the latter having the momentum and a decision expected soon.

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Whoever the final roster piece will be, Pope emphasizes that they must fit with the other 14 players on the roster.

“Where we are with our roster, there’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece that fits,” he said.

“There are several different archetypes of piece that would fit this roster really well, but there’s also a lot of guys who are popping up as available or have been available for a little while who don’t turn out to be the fit that’s going to work for this team.”

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