MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — When Darian DeVries left Morgantown to become the new head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers, all of West Virginia’s 2025 recruits – including four star recruit and top player in the state of West Virginia, Braydon Hawthorne – de-committed and left the program.
Hawthorne, who is one of the best West Virginia-born basketball players to come along in decades, has since taken official visits to Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Pitt and Duke, now has several enticing offers and options. When I reached out to Hawthorne last week about when he expects to make a decision on where he will play next, he simply said, “Soon.”
Now, according to a report from 247 Sports, Hawthorne will announce his official commitment this Tuesday, May 20th, live on YouTube. Hawthorne will make the announcement at the Salvation Army Gym in Beckley, West Virginia.
BREAKING: #1 player in West Virginia Braydon Hawthorne will announce his college decision Tuesday at 7PM! pic.twitter.com/NF2QJ8Z5FE
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) May 18, 2025
Hawthorne, a 6’9 190 pound forward from Beckley, West Virginia, is ranked as the #1 player in West Virginia in the 2025 class and 67th best recruit in the nation, initially chose West Virginia over offers from Ohio, Pepperdine, Old Dominion, Florida Gulf Coast, Mount St. Mary´s and several others.
What is Hawthorne looking for? Hawthorne’s decision will come down to what he values most. Does he want to play immediately and potentially become a hero in his home state? Or does he want to perhaps play less minutes as a freshman for traditionally successful programs like Kentucky or Duke? If he wants to start and play big minutes immediately, West Virginia, Pitt or Virginia Tech make the most sense. I’ve been told that although Hawthorne had a great relationship with Chester Frazier, a move to Virginia Tech seems very unlikely.
Hawthorne has NBA Dreams: Braydon Hawthorne is one of the highest risers in high school basketball and will likely end up being a five star prospect. With his combination of size and skill, he has a very real chance to play at the professional level. Considering that, Pitt might actually make the most sense. Of all the coaches involved in this coaching search, Pitt head coach Jeff Capel has the best history of developing players for the NBA. However, places like Kentucky and Duke also routinely put players in the NBA and from what I’ve been told, he was absolutely awed during his visits to both places.
Does Hawthorne Value Staying Home? If West Virginia offered similar money and a similar opportunity to develop him into an NBA player, I believe Hawthorne would pick West Virginia. Obviously there is an allure of staying home and playing for his hometown Mountaineers. However, has Ross Hodge and his staff proven that they can win big and have they proven that they can develop talent to play at the next level? Unfortunately, not yet. Hawthorne did make a trip to visit Morgantown to meet Hodge and his staff recently, so perhaps they were able to convince him to re-commit. Hodge and his assistants have done a tremendous job of bringing in talent early since arriving at West Virginia.
West Virginia’s chances at Hawthorne: Braydon Hawthrone is a major priority for the Mountaineers; he isn’t just the best player in the state of West Virginia by a large margin, he is also potentially a Top 50 overall player in the nation and a potential 5 star recruit. Although initial intel told me that West Virginia wasn’t a major player, Ross Hodge and the Mountaineers have reportedly offered Hawthorne “an awful lot” and could shockingly keep him home. While the other schools involved are likely offering in the $250,000-$500,000 range, West Virginia is rumored to have put together a package that is substantially more than that. More money, an immediate major role in the starting lineup, and the opportunity to stay home to represent his home state makes West Virginia University a major in the Braydon Hawthorne sweepstakes.
West Virginia is a major player in the Braydon Hawthorne sweepstakes!
Staying home gives him the opportunity to represent his home state, an early big role on the team, and, believe it or not, likely more money. I'm not saying it's for sure, but I like our chances now. #WVU
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) May 18, 2025
