LEX18 — LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Wildcats and Mark Pope scored another standout recruit with the addition of Braydon Hawthorne, the highest-ranked high school player remaining in the class of 2025.
On Tuesday, the 6-foot-8 small forward announced his pledge to Kentucky during a ceremony streamed by 247Sports. Once ranked outside the top 70 by 247Sports, Hawthorn climbed to spot 33, earning recognition as one of Class of 2025’s fastest-rising prospects.
“Braydon Hawthorne probably has the steepest trajectory of anybody in the class of 2025,” head coach Mark Pope said. “He is a great learner, a 4.0 student and highly skilled. His ceiling is incredible, and he really wants to be here at Kentucky. I love the fact that he wants to come and compete and that he’s dying to get better every single day.”
#BBN, meet @BraydonH20!
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) May 22, 2025
📰🔗 - https://t.co/tL0eGa8AUX pic.twitter.com/X4J9U0ctTv
From Beckley, West Virginia, Hawthorne was committed to his home state Mountaineers before deciding to reopen his recruitment. After visits and offers from multiple high-major programs, Hawthorne will join Kentucky's 2025 class, which features high 4-star recruits Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.
Hawthorne played his senior season at Huntington Expression Prep, where he averaged an impressive 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. His stats and accolades have recognized him as the top-ranked player in West Virginia by all major recruiting services. His high school career was marked by numerous honors, including being a McDonald's All-American nominee, participating in the Wootten Top 150 and Paul Biancardi Camp, earning MVP at the Dr. Pepper Classic, and being named a Grind Session All-Star and a Big Shots Prep Nationals High School All-Star.
Hawthorne is the 14th scholarship player for Pope's second Kentucky team, and he is the 10th addition this offseason for the Kentucky Basketball program.
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