The University of Houston men’s basketball program added another major piece to its future on Wednesday, with Triston Hawthorne signing a scholarship agreement that will bring him to Houston in 2027-28, head coach Kelvin Sampson announced.
Hawthorne, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound forward, will have five years of eligibility. Sampson said the Cougars are getting a player who checks a lot of boxes.
"Triston is going to be a good player. He is a little bit under-sized in weight, but he is extremely athletic and has long arms.
He fits us," Sampson said. "He is a very smart young man and has a high understanding of the game.
Triston is a tremendous shot blocker, and we are excited to develop him."
Hawthorne, pronounced Triss-Ton Haw-Thorn, arrived with a strong recruiting profile. He was a consensus 4-star prospect and was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 18 power forward and No. 90 player nationally.
On3 listed him as the No. 12 power forward and No. 89 prospect in the country. He was also ranked the No. 1 player in Mississippi and placed No. 92 in the SCNEXT100.
His junior season in 2025-26 only added to that reputation. Hawthorne competed at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp and earned MAC North/South All-Star honors for South Jones High School. He averaged 10.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.2 blocks per game, made the Mississippi Large Class All-State First Team and strung together 22 straight games with multiple blocks.
The production wasn’t limited to the court. Hawthorne also carried a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average and was named Student of the Month by the Sertoma Club.
Houston landed Hawthorne over LSU, Harvard, Mississippi State and Mississippi.
"Triston impacts winning at a high level and is an elite shot blocker. He is a high-energy, high-motor guy," Sipp United Director Thandi Wade said.
"He is a fun kid with high character and a lot of energy. Triston is just an amazing young man."
Hawthorne was the third Class of 2027 student-athlete to sign with Houston on Wednesday, joining SPIRE Academy point guard Darrell Davis and Montverde Academy guard Oneal Delancy.
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