Braden Hawthorne Returning
- Thread starter TheResistance
- Start date
907 strikes again, smh.
Good, our first commit for ‘26.
Can’t spin this as anything but a good thing. Let’s see if he can give us some good minutes next season.
As far as I'm concerned hes the best player on the team because I've never seen him play.
This (above) is the kind of response that is unnecessary, and honestly stupid.
Some of you expect all 12-13 players to be NBA guys. That won't happen at any school, because the last 2-3 guys will barely play, and the 1-2 ahead of them won't play a lot.
Noah has skills, and he does produce on the court. Is he starter quality? No!!! At the moment, not even top 8 quality. That doesn't mean he can't be a contributor (top 8) next year or the year after. In fact I expect he will be one his SR year, if not his JR. He often makes good plays that don't show up in box score (blocking out, keeping rebound alive, hard screens, etc...). He rebounds decent for a SF (6.4/30min). He has a very good 3pt shot, although his % has just been "ok" (33.3% last yr, 34.7% this yr). He just needs to work more at getting himself open, and having a quick release not hurt his %. There have been plenty of successful players slower than him. Just means he has to work harder than the faster guys.
I have been really hoping Hawthorne returns. I really think he could be a key contributor next year, ideally the backup for Williams at the 3. Both are long, athletic, & can shoot the 3.
Anyone else miss the days of only superstar players announcing they were returning?
In other news: "La Familia, the University of Kentucky alumni team in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), is set for a 2026 return with key veterans Aaron and Andrew Harrison reportedly returning for their third consecutive season."
La Familia now has more players (2) confirmed for their next roster than the Cats do for theirs (1)!
La Familia now has more players (2) confirmed for their next roster than the Cats do for theirs (1)!
This is great news. He's a shooter and if he can get stronger in the summer will be ready to contribute immediately. Poster who said he'll give us Garrison numbers is way off.
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I strongly felt that Cal should have been fired for the Sharpe debacle where the program (and the coach is responsible) allowed to have been taken advantage of. I feel the exact same with Hawthorne if he were not to return regarding Pope and dismissal.
The recruit is paid money, room, board, practice, work-outs and on all paid by the University. There can't be any allowance for someone to sit out a season just to go elsewhere while receiving these benefits. The coaching staff has to be held accountable. So glad to hear this and hope it proves true in Hawthorne's situation.
The recruit is paid money, room, board, practice, work-outs and on all paid by the University. There can't be any allowance for someone to sit out a season just to go elsewhere while receiving these benefits. The coaching staff has to be held accountable. So glad to hear this and hope it proves true in Hawthorne's situation.
In addition, why isn't Hawthorne playing? Redshirt in this era makes no sense unless the recruit isn't ready. If that is the case then Hawthorne may simply be another role player next season.
Right now the team needs players given 3 who are not participating for whatever reason.
Right now the team needs players given 3 who are not participating for whatever reason.
Jones said during the post game show that the most successful teams/coaches/programs will be the ones that can adapt to having a brand new team every year in the era of the portal. I can't help but to wonder if Pope, commiserate with his overthinking everything, is taking the opposite approach and trying to build year-over-year continuity by bringing multiple guys back in order to gain some kind of cohesion advantage. This is in no way a post of support for such a strategy, just thinking out load as to what he might be thinking.
I respect Matt but I don't know how he thinks we can know this yet. We only have about 4 champions in the full-blown portal era and all them had mostly returnees as starters. The team most likely to win the title this year has mostly returnees with a couple newcomers in the rotation. If the landscape shifts to where teams start winning without returnees (a la Michigan), then we can have that discussion. Until then, I think Matt is wrong here.
If that's the case, coaching a brand new team every year, we may want to go out and find a former JUCO coach that was successful.
It’s not bad news but I’ll believe it more once he says it over the off season. Still yet to see if Pope can get a top level HS recruit or portal player.
I think that he is the equivalent to getting a five star recruit or very close
He knows the system and has a lot of talent
He knows the system and has a lot of talent
You think Michigan is a team that can’t win it all? It’s not completely about who the champion is but having a team that can’t win compete for a championship. Florida had a returning 1st round talent, Michigan had a first round transfer. Both great teams. The common denominator on these teams is talent. Trent Noah and BG can return 4 years in a row and that doesn’t matter.
Let’s pump the brakes fellow Wildcats fans, this guy is coming off a Red Shirt, meaning, he’s going to be raw as raw can get, so don’t expect much more than what Johnson (stats wise) or Noah put up for numbers.
Also, barring a complete surprise, if Pope is relying on BH for more than 8-10 minutes per game next season, UK will be in even more trouble than I initially expected.
With all of that, I’m excited to hear this news
Also, barring a complete surprise, if Pope is relying on BH for more than 8-10 minutes per game next season, UK will be in even more trouble than I initially expected.
With all of that, I’m excited to hear this news
I don't think Michigan will survive when the going gets tough. I have no idea why but all teams built like this end up choking. And let me be clear, I'd absolutely love for Michigan to win the title. Would be much better for me than Duke or UConn winning it...but Duke and UConn are threats because they have the talent, experience and roster makeup.
I am doing my best but I am having trouble being positive about next year.
Lets say Hawthorne is pretty good (still small needs time). We bring in Pate, even get Stokes and a Strong PG. WE WILL STUCK SUCK DEFENSIVELY!
Pope just does not have a killer mentality, it is really sad actually.
Lets say Hawthorne is pretty good (still small needs time). We bring in Pate, even get Stokes and a Strong PG. WE WILL STUCK SUCK DEFENSIVELY!
Pope just does not have a killer mentality, it is really sad actually.
Now, we have fallen so far that we are hoping someone is the “equivalent” of a 5*, instead of just getting some outright?
Feel the same way - maybe I haven't watched them enough. But Cadeau? Will he be able to handle the bright lights and the pressure when things heat up? Is there any evidence to suggest it? Maybe he will, but I probably wouldn't bet on it.
