Houston’s 2027 basketball class now has four four-star prospects after Triston Hawthorne committed to the Cougars on Sept. 17. 247Sports places all four recruits within the nation’s top 100 and ranks the group No. 1 nationally.
Hawthorne attends South Jones High School and is from Ellisville, Mississippi. He measures 6 feet 7 inches and weighs 190 pounds. 247Sports identifies him as Mississippi’s top player, while the 247Sports Composite ranks him No. 15 at power forward and No. 80 overall in the 2027 class.
Houston was among three Power Four schools that offered Hawthorne, joined by Ole Miss and Mississippi State. He visited Houston on Aug. 20 before traveling to LSU on Sept. 5 and Harvard on Sept. 8.
The report by Maanav Gupta for si.com says Hawthorne’s strengths include rebounding and defense around the basket. He averaged 10.8 rebounds, including 4.0 offensive rebounds, and 4.3 blocks per game. His athleticism and 7-foot-2 wingspan are factors in those areas.
Offensively, he has shown value near the basket and from the dunker’s spot, with most attempts coming in the paint and free-throw shooting at about 60%. Hawthorne joins center Derek Daniels and guards Oneal Delancy and Darrell Davis in Houston’s 2027 class.
