Kentucky has added a new player to the 2026-27 basketball roster

Mark Pope has added the brother of a current Wildcat to the roster.

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope reacts during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

On a week full of frustration for Big Blue Nation, finally, there is some good news as Braydon Hawthorne is officially back and will play for the Kentucky Wildcats next season, he announced. He said during the NCAA Tournament that he intends to come back to Lexington next season, but he hadn’t made any kind of official announcement in the offseason, and fans were starting to get somewhat concerned.

Hawthorne has a ton of upside, and fans are very excited to see him take on a larger role next season. There was a big announcement as Braydon’s brother Zyon, has officially signed to be a Wildcat. Zyon is a point guard and did have some Division 1 offers, like his offer from Wichita State.

It is assumed that Hawthorne will be coming here as a player that the staff will hope to develop into a player that, down the road, could potentially play for the Wildcats, but that will not be this season. With Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins, Mason Williams, and Zyon Hawthorne, the Wildcats now have four point guards on this roster, which is refreshing to see.

Oct 24, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Braydon Hawthorne (22) gestures in celebration from the bench during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Point guard depth has been a real issue during the Pope era, as players have not been able to stay healthy. Hopefully, this position will be able to stay healthy this season, but if it does not, the Wildcats will have plenty of depth.

Having Braydon officially back for the Wildcats is massive because many believe he has the skillset necessary for him to be an NBA Draft pick down the road. Folks at practice have been very adamant that last season it was clear watching Hawthorne that he would develop into a special player, and the hope is that will happen this offseason.

Huntington Prep Zyon Hawthorne w the step back three in transition! #BIGSHOTS #PrepNationals pic.twitter.com/5qXySbF8r2

— BIG SH🏀TS (@BigShotsGlobal) March 1, 2026

I do expect Braydon Hawthorne to develop into a real role player for the Wildcats next season, and if his potential hits, he could be one of the most underrated players in the SEC. Hopefully, this offseason, we hear Pope talk a lot about Braydon’s development because if he keeps getting better, he could be a scary player.

Big Blue Nation would love to see both Braydon and Zyon Hawthrone develop into a really good one-two punch down the road for Coach Pope. While Zyon isn’t a big addition for this season, the film on him proves that with some work in a college workout program, he could become a serviceable college player.