Kentucky Basketball Adds Four-Star 2025 Forward Braydon Hawthorne

Kentucky basketball has bolstered its 2025-26 men's roster with the commitment of Braydon Hawthorne, a 6-foot-8 small forward from Huntington Prep, who was previously committed to West Virginia before de-committing due to coaching changes. Hawthorne, ranked as a top-35 recruit nationally after a significant rise in rankings, chose Kentucky over Duke, Virginia Tech, Pitt, and West Virginia, adding a promising developmental piece to Mark Pope's team. This commitment marks Kentucky's 14th scholarship player for the season, including four returning players and Otega Oweh, who is currently testing the NBA draft process. In addition to Hawthorne, Kentucky has extended an early offer to CJ Rosser, a top-3 recruit in the 2027 class, signaling the program's continued focus on securing elite talent for the future. Meanwhile, the Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team, under coach Kenny Brooks, has also enhanced its roster with the addition of Elsa Vadfors, a 6'5" center from Sweden, who brings international experience and depth to the frontcourt. These moves reflect Kentucky's strategic recruiting efforts across both men's and women's basketball programs to maintain competitive excellence.