Kentucky's Braydon Hawthorne just made a massive announcement about his future plans

Braydon Hawthorne is a name that many outside of Kentucky would not know, but Big Blue Nation is very excited about the future of this young man. Hawthorne is a true freshman this season who hasn’t stepped foot on the floor in a game yet, as Coach Mark Pope wants to keep his redshirt. This has frustrated fans since redshirts are so rarely used for young players anymore, but nevertheless, fans are excited about his future.

Hawthorne recently sat down with Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald Leader, and it was announced that Hawthorne plans to stay in Lexington next season. While it has been a tough few days for Kentucky basketball fans, this news was a really good way to start Monday morning.

On the Kentucky roster, Hawthrone is listed at 6’8 190-pounds. The word around town is that he has already grown a few inches this year and put on some muscle. In the offseason, those who got to see Hawthrone practice talked about how he has a little bit of Tayshaun Prince in him, and it’s not hard to draw this comparison.

Braydon Hawthrone — Oct 11, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) and forward Braydon Hawthorne (22) react after Chandler attempts a full court putt during Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The upside of Hawthrone is a sharpshooting wing/forward who can guard multiple positions with a very high offensive ceiling. He is a player who will be one of the top wildcards in the SEC next season, as his ceiling is through the roof. Hawthorne seems like the type of player that even if he doesn’t live up to the hype, he will be a serviceable player on the team, but if his upside hits, he will be one of the better players in college basketball.

The goal for Hawthrone this offseason needs to be to put on some more muscle because if he can grow into his frame, it will be scary to see how good he could be as a redshirt freshman during the 2026-27 season. Fans would have loved to see what they have in Hawthorne this season, but now he can work his tail off this offseason and get ready to be a star for next year's team.

One of the top offseason conversations about the 2026-27 Kentucky team will be whether or not Hawthrone can reach his potential next season, which will take Kentucky to another level. This kid could be special, but Coach Pope still needs to add some elite players in the portal just in case Hawthrone doesn’t take the stride as early as fans are hoping.