One of the players that is most intriguing to me is Braydon Hawthorne. The Beckley, West Virginia native was a late add to last year's class.
There was a back-and-forth all year long between the coaching staff and Hawthorne about playing this year, but a late ankle injury pretty much ended that debate. And that was probably the right path. He will now have a full year in college, adding weight to his 6'8 frame. That will help with the physical battles on defense and help him finish through contact.
And he has already confirmed that he is coming back, and that is great news for more than one reason.
Braydon Hawthorne's versatility could be key
Hawthorne had a great senior season, rising all the way up to a top 120 player in the country. He is long and athletic and can be a great defender because of that length. And Kentucky is definitely losing Otega Oweh, who is a wing defender, and you have to have people who can stop the other team's best player. While Hawthorne may not be a full-fledged defensive stopper, he will add speed and height and, more importantly, versatility to the roster.
When you have a guy who can guard 3 positions, that really helps your defense out a whole lot. It is even better if that guy can shoot it, and Hawthorne can shoot with either hand. Watching practice, you can see that he has the form of a good shooter, but doing it in a game is different. That is the next big step here.
Kam Williams would be even bigger
Kam Williams got playing time this year, but was hampered by a broken foot. When he did play, we didn't get to see the full Kam Williams experience. He averaged only 6 points in 18 minutes a game, but we saw him come on strong before the broken foot. He ended the year shooting it at 36% from deep, which is great for a guy that is 6'8.
That height again plays a massive role. Imagine a lineup featuring Braydon Hawthorne and Kam Williams. 2 guys with near 7-foot wingspans, guys who can switch off and play 3-4 spots. And they can bang in 3's on the other end.
That is the start to the kind of lineup that Pope can do a lot with. And while it is not for sure Williams will be back, we will get to see year 2 of Braydon Hawthorne and that has me excited.