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

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3 weeks 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

Star Forward Milan Momcilovic Chooses Kentucky Over Louisville and Arizona

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1 day ago

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June 1, 2026

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Photo via AOL

The wait is over BBN!

Milan Momcilovic has officially announced that he will be playing his senior year of college basketball at Kentucky, suiting up in the blue and white for Mark Pope and the Wildcats!

The 6-foot-8 wing averaged 16.9 points per game in the 2025-26 season, leading the nation in 3-pointers made (136) and percentage from deep (48.7%).

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Momcilovic is mostly ranked as No. 2 in most portal rankings, but ESPN has the former Cyclone as the No. 1 overall player. With that being said, this technically serves as Pope’s first No. 1 transfer during his tenure at Kentucky.

Pulling his name out of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, May 27, Kentucky was seemingly the favorite to land the wing during the entire sweepstakes due to positional need, scheme fit and money available to spend. He could even play another year with the Kentucky Wildcats if the “5-in-5” rule is passed and he forgoes the draft again.

Putting Pat Kelsey in a locker and outbidding him on a recruit is always great for morale, but this fills the much-needed star spot for next year’s roster. Pope and his staff have shaped the team with plenty of skilled players, but Momcilovic adds that extra layer of shooting and will serve as the go-to guy when a game may be on the line.

This will be the final player added to the 2026-27 team, with an insert at the starting small forward position in Momcilovic’s future. Pope and the Big Blue Nation have their guy, and soon enough, we’ll see the Pewaukee, Wisconsin native on Rupp Arena’s court.

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Men's Basketball

National Reporter Matt Norlander Chooses Kentucky as Landing Spot for Star Forward Milan Momcilovic

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6 days ago

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May 28, 2026

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Photo via Imagn Images

The Milan Momcilovic sweepstakes is underway, with multiple teams involved in the No. 2 overall transfer player’s recruitment. It is believed that Kentucky and Louisville are the top candidates after his decision to pull out from the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, May 27.

Along with the in-state rivals, Arizona and St. John’s are both very well still in the mix, but the Red Storm are slowly falling out of contention after landing Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou.

On May 28, national reporter Matt Norlander cleared the air on CBS Sports’ Eye On College Basketball podcast, stating that he believes Kentucky will land Momcilovic by the end of the weekend or Monday.

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“My prediction right now is that Milan Momcilovic will go to Kentucky,” Norlander said. “My understanding is that decision is going to come in the next one, two, three days, four days max.”

He would go on to talk about the other top programs involved, stating why he thinks they will be working in an uphill battle in this bidding war.

“My forecast is that it’s Kentucky, but you know, we’ll see if Louisville can get in there,” he continued. “Arizona I don’t think has the money to contend, like I think Kentucky and Louisville just have more money to play with.”

For the worried members of the Big Blue Nation, this is certainly good news to be put out by one of the most trusted college basketball reporters at the national level.

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Going by this report and Adam Zagoria’s from NYT Sports, it shouldn’t be long until a commitment decision for Momcilovic is announced publicly.

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Men's Basketball

BREAKING: No. 2 Ranked Transfer Milan Momcilovic Removes Name From 2026 NBA Draft

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6 days ago

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May 27, 2026

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Kamil Krzaczynski | Imagn Images

Milan Momcilovic has officially removed his named from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to college for his senior season.

Kentucky leads in his recruitment, followed closely by St. John’s, Louisville and Arizona. A backdoor to Iowa State is also still open.

The No. 2 ranked transfer would be a huge addition to Kentucky’s 2026-27 roster if he committed, averaging 16.9 points per game on 50.6/48.7/87.8 shooting splits last year. Funny enough, in the current world of college athletics that we live in, Momcilovic was responsible for eliminating the Wildcats from the NCAA Tournament, dropping 20 points in the Round of 32.

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He would go on to lose to Tennessee in the Sweet 16 with Iowa State, so at least we know that there’s some inner-hatred for a long-standing rival if he ends up a Wildcat.

He made the most three-point shots in Division I basketball and is a versatile 6-foot-8 wing, which would fit perfectly into Mark Pope’s offensive system. He completed workouts with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves during the draft process.

Now, the bidding war for the top dog begins, with some of the most prestigious programs in the sport placing their bets on the star forward.

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