Kentucky added another piece to its roster last week, as Zyon Hawthorne, the younger brother of Braydon Hawthorne, officially joined the program following Braydon’s return announcement.
Zyon, a 6-foot-2 combo guard out of Huntington Prep, averaged 11.2 points, seven assists, and three rebounds per game as a senior, drawing interest from programs like Wichita State, Arkansas State, Radford, La Salle, and Bethune-Cookman. But ultimately, the opportunity to play at Kentucky alongside his brother proved
too strong to pass up.
Appearing alongside his father, Walter Hawthorne, on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk, Zyon spoke about his mindset as he entered the program.
“I just feel like everything lined up correctly,” Hawthorne said. “My brother is there. It’s the school I always rooted for growing up. I feel like, me being a basketball player and wanting to be the best version of myself, I feel like that’s just the choice that was right for me.”
Zyon understands the challenge ahead. With a loaded roster, immediate playing time may be limited, similar to Braydon, who redshirted his freshman season.
“I’m aware that there’s probably no minutes for me my first year, but I work very hard, and I feel like one day, I’ll be able to carve out some minutes for myself,” he said.
Whether that path includes a redshirt season remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Zyon Hawthorne is focused on growth, development, and making the most of his opportunity in Lexington.
