Mark Pope discusses possibility of burning Braydon Hawthorne's redshirt

Mark Pope says burning Braydon Hawthorne's redshirt is not currently likely, but could become possible.

Jan 24, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope looks on during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Kentucky Wildcats had their depth tested in their gritty win over Ole Miss in Rupp Arena on Saturday after Kam Williams' broken foot injury that he suffered during their win against Texas earlier this week. Combine that with the fact that both Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance have been unavailable, the rotation has gotten shorter, but especially so at the three, with no Williams to fill the void with his versatility.

Following that game against Texas, fans began voicing their opinions on whether Kentucky should burn Braydon Hawthorne's redshirt and allow him to play some minutes off the bench to allow for certain guys to not have as much on their plate. Mark Pope addressed that current possibilty after their win over Ole Miss on Saturday.

"It’s something that has certainly been a discussion,” Pope said on the possibility of burning Hawthorne's redhsirt. "There are so many dynamics that, most importantly, right now he is not healthy. We can’t burn the redshirt now, because he’s not healthy. But you know, certainly, he is an incredibly talented player who could really help us down the road. We’ll see. He’s got to get healthy first."

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

Pope went on to say that Hawthorne is dealing with a calf injury. His comment wasn't necessarily a 'no' on possibly beginning to play the 6-8 wing, but like he said, he needs to become healthy before he can step onto the court. Back in the summer, Pope had some very high praise for the top-35 recruit in the 2025 recruiting class, even comparing him to a UK legend. "I can’t wait until you guys get to watch him and see him on the court. I was with Tayshaun Prince for quite a while, maybe a week ago, and he just -- build, body, skillset, there is a whole bunch of Tayshaun Prince in this kid, and I know those are big words. Tayshaun Prince is one of the best players to ever play here and had an incredible NBA career, a championship NBA career."

Right now, Kentucky is playing with a nine-man rotation, with Andrija Jelavic coming off playing 22 minutes on Saturday. The Wildcats are going to need more help moving forward, and while playing nine players isn't bad, certain positions are thin as a result of the Kam Williams injury. Hawthorne could really help fix something that may become a problem as Kentucky gets ready for this brutal stretch of SEC play, but health remains the top priority, because fans know the team cannot afford more injuries.