KSR Today: There's a New Kentucky Wildcat

Every time you think the 2025-26 Kentucky basketball roster is set, Mark Pope has another trick up his sleeve.

When we first learned the name Braydon Hawthorne, he was a complete afterthought. All of Big Blue Nation’s attention was on the transfer portal. Mo Dioubate and Jayden Quaintance had just committed to Kentucky, tremendously easing anxiety. An official visit from a high school player previously committed to West Virginia was a blip on the radar, if that.

That little blip turned out to be the start of something that could be great. Braydon Hawthorne was a late bloomer who kept a quiet recruitment. After visiting Lexington, he also took trips to Virginia Tech, Pitt, West Virginia, and Duke. It didn’t feel like the Cats had any momentum, but it also didn’t feel necessary. The roster was in great hands.

Even as the hours ticked down until his commitment, no one was 100% sure which way Hawthorne was leading. Based on intel gathered over at KSBoard, this was Pope’s time to make a play. It worked.

Kentucky locked up a guard who grew into a 6-foot-9 wing with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He wasn’t on anyone’s radar until late in the process. His star is only beginning to rise, and even if it does not mean he will contribute right away, Hawthorne’s future is bright at Kentucky.

Reaction to the Hawthorne Commitment

Hawthorne gets the “under the radar” tag, but the recruiting services that do their due diligence have not overlooked him. On3 tabs Hawthorne as the No. 35 player in the 2026 recruiting class, and 247 has him ranked No. 33 overall. He’s a shot-maker who’s still filling into his body. There are plenty of protein shakes and weights in his future.

The addition of Hawthorne reasserts the belief that Pope has built an incredibly deep team. Maybe even more importantly, he’s a prospect with a high-ceiling that could alleviate next season’s high school recruiting strain by giving Kentucky a reliable wing with a year of experience in the system ahead of the 26-27 campaign. But don’t take it from me. Jack Pilgrim has everything you need to know about what Hawthorne’s addition means for the Kentucky basketball program.

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The Woodford Legends Invitational 3rd annual tournament showcases the talents of some of the biggest names in the history of the LPGA Tour teeing it up alongside top female amateur golfers from the state of Kentucky. This unique two-woman team event will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 7–8, 2025. The week of family-friendly events will begin on Tuesday, June 3, and culminate in the main tournament on the weekend. The event takes places at The Woodford Club in Versailles. To secure tickets, visit their 
website at: www.woodfordclubfoundation.org/tickets.

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Kentucky Eliminated from the SEC Baseball Tournament

It was a great day for the Kentucky basketball program, but you couldn’t say the same thing about the Bat Cats. The Kentucky baseball team was one-and-done in the new single-elimination format of the SEC Baseball Tournament.

It felt like every time the Cats had a chance to light up the scoreboard, they hit into a double-play. Kentucky only had six hits in the 5-1 loss to Oklahoma. Kentucky ends the season with four straight losses, and its last win against an SEC foe was over the Sooners at KPP. The Bat Cats should have a good enough resume to be in the NCAA Tournament, but we will not know with certainty until Monday, May 26 at Noon.

Jaland Lowe on Kentucky Sports Radio

The former Pitt point guard recently wrapped up a trip to Chicago for the G League Elite Camp that took place just ahead of the NBA Combine. Even though he signed to play for the Wildcats, Jaland Lowe has not publicly confirmed that he’s pulling his name out of consideration for the NBA Draft. Maybe he’ll say that today when he joins Matt Jones and the Kentucky Sports Radio crew.

NBA Conference Finals Tip Off

The Western Conference Finals were tightly contested for about three quarters. That’s when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally broke off the clamps and showed us why he’s the MVP. He had 20 of his 31 points in the second half as OKC pulled away in the fourth quarter with a 114-88 victory in game one.

As fun as last night was, the Eastern Conference Finals feels like the marquee matchup in the NBA’s Final Four. The Pacers and Knicks have a history of colossal matchups from the 90s. Hopefully, this one produces just as many fireworks. The opening game is at The Mecca, Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is set for 8 PM ET on TNT.

Prepare for Palindromes!

Did you celebrate on May 20? You should be partying for the next ten days because it is a Palindrome Party. The dates are the same forward and backward. While true palindrome nerds will say it’s significantly more impressive with words, don’t diminish the heat the calendar is bringing for the next week.

5/20/25
5/21/25
5/22/25
5/23/25
5/24/25
5/25/25
5/26/25
5/27/25
5/28/25
5/29/25

A Salute to an All-Time Great

We have the pleasure of bringing you Kentucky sports news in the most ridiculous manner possible. Many sports fans wouldn’t have the passion and love for the game if it weren’t for a coach who inspired them.

On Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of celebrating the retirement of Tom McAnally. A fixture in South Louisville for decades, he went 710-350 over 32 years of coaching high school baseball at Bishop David, Holy Cross, and DeSales. McAnally ranks 12th in all-time wins in KHSAA baseball history.

Coach Mac hasn’t been on the diamond for a while — and he had one unforgettable send-off after a lighthearted conversation with an umpire — but he deserves every ounce of recognition for serving as a guiding light in the Archdiocese of Louisville for 55 years, even if the UofL fan has to read a UK sports site to see it.