It only took a few weeks of summer practice for Mark Pope to throw a four-time NBA All-Defensive Team comparison Braydon Hawthorne‘s way — a fan-favorite for Big Blue Nation. Arkell Bruce, the former four-star recruit’s coach at Huntington Prep, was the first to say the long, lanky wing reminded him of Kentucky legend Tayshaun […]
It only took a few weeks of summer practice for Mark Pope to throw a four-time NBA All-Defensive Team comparison Braydon Hawthorne‘s way — a fan-favorite for Big Blue Nation. Arkell Bruce, the former four-star recruit’s coach at Huntington Prep, was the first to say the long, lanky wing reminded him of Kentucky legend Tayshaun Prince.
The current UK coach agreed after getting his hands on the 6-8, 175-pound freshman out of Beckley, West Virginia.
“Braydon Hawthorne, he is a unique player,” Pope said in July. “I can’t wait until you guys get to watch him and see him on the court. I was with Tayshaun Prince for quite a while, maybe a week ago, and he just — build, body, skillset, there is a whole bunch of Tayshaun Prince in this kid. And I know those are big words. Tayshaun Prince is one of the best players to ever play here and had an incredible NBA career, a championship NBA career.”
Quite the statement, Big Blue Nation certainly hoping Hawthorne becomes anything close to the two-time First Team All-SEC standout and SEC Player of the Year. Is that even possible? Pope is the king of hyperbole, but maybe that was a little overkill and worth walking back?
Given the chance to distance himself from the take once eight weeks of summer workouts wrapped up in Lexington, the Kentucky head coach not only stayed strong in his assessment, but took it a step further.
Something special is coming for Hawthorne, Pope believes.
“This Braydon Hawthorne — he is one of the most unique kids I’ve ever coached. I don’t know what his ceiling is, but if I was going to compare him to a player right now — and I’m doing this in incredible humility — there is so much of some type of Tayshaun Prince vibe in him,” he told Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. “It is — this kid, I don’t know how soon it’s going to happen, but I think this kid has a chance to be special.
“He just might have the goods, man. Like, it’s very cool to watch it.”
The former Huntington Prep standout averaged 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game as a senior before finishing as the No. 35 overall recruit and No. 9 small forward by On3. That ranking reflected his status as the fastest-rising prospect in the country, but also just how ridiculous his upside truly is. Sky is the limit for Hawthorne, who has a 7-3 wingspan as a teenager.
Maybe even Tayshaun Prince-high?
“It was really great to hear that from him,” Hawthorne said of Pope’s Prince comparison. “I mean, I’ve heard that a lot, but I’ve never really thought of anything of it. But he’s a great player, so I’m happy with that. … I can see some similarities, yes. Just like the length, defensively, shooting the ball, and just do really everything.”
Pope stole him out of West Virginia where he could have been a day-one standout playing for WVU or Virginia Tech while Pitt was also desperate to land him. The blue-blood talent needed to be in Lexington, following in the footsteps of an all-time Kentucky great.
Category: General Sports
