WVU Basketball Locks Up Top In-State Prospect Braydon Hawthorne

Darian DeVries and his WVU basketball staff locked up their third recruit of the day, announcing the signing of Braydon Hawthorne.

Hawthorne, a 6-foot-9, 195-pound guard/forward, from Beckley, W.Va., is considered the top prospect in West Virginia for the class of 2025 by most major recruiting outlets.

Hawthorne currently attends Huntington Expression Prep in Huntington, W.Va., playing for coach Arkell Bruce. He’s averaging 13 points and eight rebounds per game. Hawthorne previously attended Woodrow Wilson High in Beckley.

𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓭 ✍️@BraydonH20 is staying in Almost Heaven!

🔗 https://t.co/YIEuQ1nM2K#HailWV pic.twitter.com/lyk5bEmYfm

— WVU Men's Basketball (@WVUhoops) November 14, 2024

Hawthorne signs with WVU a little over a month after committing to the Mountaineers on Oct. 4.

“We are thrilled to welcome Braydon to our Mountaineer family,” DeVries said. “Braydon has tremendous upside and positional size at 6-foot-9 on the wing. His skill, shooting and length as well as being a 4.0 student and West Virginia native are things we valued in his recruitment. We are excited to help Braydon develop here on and off the court.”

He was the MVP at the Dr. Pepper Classic and rated as one of the top standouts at the Paul Biancardi Camp. Hawthorne also pays for the Phenom United 25’.

Hawthorne, who grew up a WVU fan, recently described what it was like to have West Virginia associate head coach Chester Frazier show up to practice at Huntington Prep during a conversation with WV Sports Now.

Frazier liked what he saw out of Hawthorne’s game and was able to get him on campus.

Hawthorne took an unofficial visit to West Virginia on Oct. 1.

“It was great. There was great energy from everybody. [The staff] told me that they want me,” Hawthorne said with WV Sports Now.

Hawthorne was able to give the staff the exciting news that he would be committing just days later.

“I feel like nothing is better than to represent your home state,” Hawthorne said.

Hawthorne picked up offers from Florida Gulf Coast, Mount St. Mary’s, Ohio, Old Dominion, Pepperdine, Radford, UMBC and Wichita State. Hawthorne took trips to Ohio and Old Dominion during his recruitment. Hawthorne is the No. 213 prospect in the country and the No. 1 player in the state of West Virginia, according to 247 Sports.

Find more coverage of WVU basketball recruiting at WV Sports Now.