Freshman forward Braydon Hawthorne confirmed to the Herald-Leader over the weekend that he will be back for Kentucky next season.
“Yeah, for sure,” Hawthorne said when asked about returning next season.
Here is an excerpt from the Herald-Leader’s conversation with Hawthorne:
In 2026, it’s something of a unique experiment. Not often these days does a player with legitimate NBA upside willingly take on a redshirt role. But Hawthorne is a unique prospect, and — even with 20/20 hindsight — he made it clear the chosen path has been the correct one.
And after nearly a year spent in Pope’s system amid the UK basketball culture, Hawthorne feels much better equipped to make a splash next season than he would have as a true freshman.
“I feel like it’s gonna be great,” he said. “Because I feel like I’ll be a step ahead of everybody next year, knowing the system and everything else. As soon as we get back on campus, I feel like that puts me in a great spot — just knowing everything already.”
