Braydon Hawthorne putting in post-practice work with Kentucky teammates to up his physicality

On a Kentucky men’s basketball roster featuring a handful of interesting long-term prospects, which includes a potential top-five NBA Draft pick in Jayden Quaintance, incoming freshman Braydon Hawthorne might just be the most fascinating of the bunch.

Hawthorne entered college as a top 35 high school prospect, but it was a late rise to the top for the West Virginia native. A terrific 2024-25 season at Huntington Prep gave him a larger platform to show off his talents. He was once ranked outside the top 100 nationally prior to his senior year before catapulting himself up the individual rankings. Hawthorne is even slotted one spot higher in On3’s final 2025 player rankings (35th) than fellow freshman Jasper Johnson (36th), although immediate expectations are much heavier on Johnson’s shoulders.

That gives Hawthorne some runway to grow at Kentucky. His ranking is a reflection of what he could be, not necessarily how good he is at this current stage in his development. A lofty comparison to Wildcat legend Tayshaun Prince is being tossed around. UK’s official team website has Hawthorne listed at 6-foot-8, but weighing only 175 pounds. For reference, 6-foot-3 point guard Jaland Lowe is listed at 188 pounds. Bulking up is going to be the key to a long and successful career for Hawthorne. Prince finished his playing days around the 210-pound mark.

“Biggest difference is just physicality, little things like angles,” Hawthorne told reporters last Thursday on the difference between high school and college. “They (his Kentucky teammates) know how to use their body well.”

Hawthorne is loaded with skill, but he’s incredibly lanky. If he were tossed into a game against a Southeastern Conference opponent tomorrow, he’s probably getting bullied right off the floor and straight to the bench. He knows that, though. It’s why he’s putting in extra work outside of practice with his new teammates this summer to get his body and mind right for those physical matchups.

“I like that physicality. I stay after (practice) and play one-on-one with them to get used to it,” Hawthorne said, adding that he likes to go up against veteran players such as Lowe, Mo Dioubate, and Otega Oweh.

It’s only been a little over a month of summer practices, but Hawthorne says he’s adapting at a good pace. At first, he struggled with outside shooting (the high school three-point line is closer than in college) and with his legal contests on defense (an emphasis this offseason from head coach Mark Pope).

But fast forward halfway through those practices, and he’s improved his shooting percentages “a great amount” while also learning how to more efficiently and effectively fight on the glass and on defense. It’s a process, but one Hawthorne is showing the willingness to work through.

“You really gotta be on your Ps and Qs now,” he said. “No plays off.”

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.