A building block for Kentucky basketball? This freshman could be a future star
Kentucky fans might not see too much of Braydon Hawthorne on the basketball court this season.
But talk to those who have been regulars in the Joe Craft Center over the past several weeks, and his name is bound to come up relatively quickly in the conversation.
No matter the observer’s expectations or areas of focus going into these UK summer practice sessions, the long, lanky teenager from West Virginia always seems to stick out.
Officially listed at 6-8 and 175 pounds with a 7-3 wingspan, Hawthorne, according to those who have seen him up close this summer, is a tempest of arms and legs on the court — a whirlwind of basketball activity with a can-do-a-little-bit-of-everything skill set to back it up.
Who’s typically been the first Wildcat in the gym this summer?
That would be Hawthorne.He’s in here at like 7:45, shooting,” teammate Kam Williams said. “And then after (morning practice), he shoots again.”
Who’s been the most impressive Wildcat this summer?
That would be Hawthorne, too, according to fellow freshman Jasper Johnson.
“He’s an elite player on both ends of the floor,” Johnson declared.
Where exactly on the court has Hawthorne been showing off these skills?
The answer there can be found in a question posed to the player himself. Who’s been the most difficult Wildcat to go up against in practice this summer, Hawthorne was asked.Otega Oweh, Mouhamed Dioubate and Brandon Garrison, he replied.
That trio of UK players runs the positional spectrum. And that means Hawthorne has been playing …
