I thought he was supposed to be a rising top 35 recruit last year and redshirting to be a starter this year— Is that not happening?
I thought Hawthorne was supposed to be really good? Is he staying or not?
- Thread starter ComplexTon
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I mean I know he’s unproven, but thought he’d be a viable starting potential SF. I wanted that to be true.
Early on he said he was returning, now he says he hasn't thought about it.
His return isnt certain? You'd think he's in line for some good playing time. Maybe he's gotten a good look at how this current admin operates
He is really skilled he just needs to put on weight. So he is ready for the physicality
I think he will play a pretty good role this year
I’m thinking something like 7pts, 4 rbs
I’m thinking something like 7pts, 4 rbs
A week or so ago one of the KSR folks said BH will not stay if he's not a rotation player. I guess he's waiting to see who they go after.
Young kids are not equipped with the maturity to make these money & minutes decisions and rely on their parents and the honesty and whim of agents.
I used to argue so much that the idea we need to let families and outsiders make decisions for these players over the coaches is so short sighted. One of the biggest protective factors a lot of these players had was the high school / college level coaches. They shielded them from all of this madness and helped them learn and grow. We’ve removed the only protection the players had. Now it’s agents and handlers. Parents will 90/% of the way defer to them every time, they have no idea what they’re doing. Just take a look at some of these Rhodes scholar families.
I think he will play the 3 or possibly the 2 in a big lineup and the 3 or possibly the 4 in a small lineup. There will be plenty of places to sprinkle him in with minutes.
I absolutely don’t think they will let this kid walk. He could be a superstar in a year or two.
I absolutely don’t think they will let this kid walk. He could be a superstar in a year or two.
I assume he’s trying to wait out a Stokes decision. If Stokes comes at the 3 and Kam backs him up, there really won’t be many/any minutes for him.
Has until Tuesday to enter the portal. From a PR standpoint if I was him I’d wait up until that deadline
Has until Tuesday to enter the portal. From a PR standpoint if I was him I’d wait up until that deadline
Be fine to keep him especially if he's gonna stay for a third year. Right now he's still a beanpole at 190 6'8" after a whole year of aggressive strength/weight add regimen. Also last year at BBM he didn't jump nearly as well as Chandler, couldn't shoot nearly as well as Noah or Jelavic. His handle looked decent for a swingman was about all you could say. Obviously wasn't worth bringing out of redshirt when we had three potential starters out long term with injury. In my opinion if he bounces it will be gallows humor considering the money we paid him but won't really mean much of anything else at all.
I hope he’s good. I take anybody saying Hawthorn is good with a grain of salt. Pope told us Trent Noah was really good. How has that worked out? He definitely has the size, length and look. I’ll wait and see him play before I make any assumptions.
So the deadline is for entering the portal this year is April 21-22? And if they do, they can wait and sign whenever they want? And they could test the NBA waters as well?
My boat. If he was very good, he'd have played last year.
Nate Ament - 2.0 - Kevin Durant could use a few pounds too?
Hawthorne will be the glue for this year‘s team.
“Hasn’t thought about it?”
There is zero chance that is true. My guess is he’s waiting to see who else we recruit from the portal before giving a final statement. He’s probably staying … unless it appears that he’s been pushed out of the rotation.
Pope will reward him for his loyalty just like he did BG. Keep in mind Pope is from the Pitino school of coaching & was never a starter. Hawthorne will be a day 1 starter & be a great Cat
AD, Walter McCarty and Tay Prince say hello.
I think that was a weight issue not a skill issue. We’ve had enough injuries to risk a 6’8 165lb player to play in the SEC he was up to 191 in January. By the season he could be where we need him to be and allegedly he’s a little taller now so EOD he can shoot, handle, pass and has measurables to play defense
plan was to redshirt him the whole time because he was too skinny. I think he will be a good one and I think he can be a good shooter for us or whoever he may go to.
Kid is like 6-10 now and handles the ball like a decent guard. Just needs to keep drinking protein shakes. Very good shooter.
Braydon Hawthorne to return to Kentucky next year
Forward Braydon Hawthorne told the Lexington Herald-Leader he plans to return to Kentucky
www.aseaofblue.com
Clearly wasn't ready to contribute last season or he wouldn't have redshirted. Now he is flirting with leaving? 
Make it make sense!
Make it make sense!
He made his intentions clear in March. Why assume he's changed his mind? Until he changes course I'm just going to take his word for it.
That's a reasonable way to look at it. I think he might be much better than most here would allow the possibility - due to him being redshirted and them making no effort to look a little closer. That's not based on anything Pope said, it's just based on my own projections from watching video (admittedly high school/preseason), seeing him shoot (very well) and moving with the ball in warmups many times (not the strongest proof I know), feeling like he's doing it at 6'9" if not 6'10" (he looks at least an inch taller than Kam Williams), and given the additional year of maturity and development practicing against college players. BUT . . . you're right, we need to see him play to really get a solid opinion.
That said, if I'm Hawthorne and I'm not solidly in the rotation at the 3 & 4 (don't think he should ever be asked to play a minute at 2G) I think I'm transferring - which I would hate. With most of the players in the portal you're projecting improvement when you take them. My guesstimate is the upside and versatility of Hawthorne is better in a backup role than you're likely to get from the Portal (and definitely better than high school).
Because Reece Potter did the same, but then now said he's coming back "officially" via his recent post.
He signed with Ky May 22 last year as the 13th scholar ship player .Clearly wasn't ready to contribute last season or he wouldn't have redshirted. Now he is flirting with leaving?
The plan all along was to redshirt & get paid. Smart move considering the great talent in this year’s pro draft. He turned down Duke -Pitt -Va Tech after de committing from W Va.
Ky was his dream school & still is . Pope says he has grown to 6-10+ & is a future NBA PLAYER.
Considered burning redshirt but was dealing with leg strain when Kam was hurt. I strongly advocated him playing last year & even started 2 threads about it.
He will be a star at Ky & can play the 2-3-4 like Kam .GO BIG BLUE
Hawthorne announced a couple days ago ,he would be back
Everyone needs to leave him alone. In this instant society info age people needs to understand he is a student
I had no idea. I'm glad to find out. Where did he announce it (the link to this)? Not that I don't trust what you're saying (please don't be offended I'm asking, but) where is it shown online?
I get all that, I really do. But selling me on a dude who COULDN'T play this year into a key piece on a GOOD team next year, that's a tough sell. Can he be a key piece on a team that loses 12-15 games? Sure. But that's not really the goal.
Feels a little Dontaie Allen/Trent Noah to me. I'll wait to see things before I believe all the Jack and the Magic Beanstalk tales.
A star? Goodness. Him and Potter are going to carry UK to the promised land. Some of you just have to watch other teams play and be able to comprehend what an actual star basketball player looks and plays like.
I agree. Both redshirts scare me if they weren't ready to contribute last year. Pretty sure a coatrack would have gotten clock. Now it is entirely possible that Pope’s judge on talent is so bad he let his best player collect dust; his analytics weren't good enough!
Too skinny, too this, too that. Forget all that. Can he put the ball in the basket? Victor was a bean pole; working out for him.
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Hard to disagree with your points... my expectations/hope for him would be that he can get 8-10 mins/game and provide solid, rotation depth.
If Stoke commits, b/c of his ability to attack off the bounce, I could see playing him & Kam at the 2 & 3 OR the 3 & 4 depending on other CG/SG/PF commits. Diallo & Stokes provide great ability to attack off the bounce w/outside shooters as Kam and either another guard or PF.
Potter at least has good size, good outside stroke, and has played college ball before, so I feel like he can at least contribute some at the 5. I think he will likely struggle defensively, but with his outside shooting, you can at least run the offense thru him at the top of the key.