Kentucky, Mark Pope land commitment from high-upside wing Braydon Hawthorne

Braydon Hawthorne, one of the best available high school seniors, is officially off the board to Kentucky. The 6-foot-8 small forward with a 7-foot-3 wingspan commits to the Wildcats over West Virginia and Pittsburgh, but also received offers from Duke, Virginia Tech, among others.

The four-star prospect out of Huntington Prep (WV) was originally signed with West Virginia, but reopened his recruitment after former Mountaineers’ coach Darian DeVries accepted the Indiana head opening.

Hawthorne becomes the third high school commitment for UK this cycle. He joins four-star SG Jasper Johnson (No. 25 nationally) and four-star C Malachi Moreno (No. 28 nationally).

Hawthorne is the No. 35 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to On3’s Top-150 Player Rankings. He’s also the No. 9 small forward prospect and the No. 1 player in West Virginia.

Hawthorne Scouting Report

Braydon Hawthorne is a unique player. A definite late-bloomer, someone who is already producing on the national stage, but his best basketball is still clearly in front of him. Currently in the 6-foot-8, 6-foot-9 range, Hawthorne has true wing skills. He can put the ball on the floor in the half-court to self create an opportunity. Athletically, he still needs to add strength. While he is fluid in his movements, he has average pop. However, what he does have is length and instincts, which he uses to an advantage.

Hawthorne is capable of pushing the break in the open floor, and he can knock down shots from beyond the arc. He is currently better in catch-and-shoot situations with his feet set or when stepping into his shot, but the balance on the movement shooting could/should improve with reps and added strength to his base. There is some upside defensively, especially as he continues to get stronger. He can open his hips, he has natural instincts, and he has great length. There is some versatile upside on that end of the floor.

But the untapped intrigue comes on the offensive end. It is unique that a player of his size and length is capable on the ball. That offensive versatility allows for fluid and switchable floor spacing on the offensive end. Players who are capable of creating an advantage on the ball with above-average positional size. The low-hanging fruit comparison for Hawthorne is Brandon Ingram. Now, this is not a one-to-one comparison, but you can certainly see the similar frame and movements, along with ball skills and shooting touch. Hawthorne is just at the beginning of his ascent as a player. There is a long runway for basketball success with his ceiling but a lot of natural tools that check boxes at the highest level. – On3’s Jamie Shaw