Houston added four-star power forward Triston Hawthorne to its 2027 recruiting class when he committed to the Cougars on Sept. 17. The group includes four four-star players, each ranked among the top 100 nationally, and 247Sports currently lists it as the country’s No. 1 class.
Hawthorne is 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 190 pounds. The South Jones High School player from Ellisville, Mississippi, is ranked by 247Sports as the state’s top prospect and is No. 15 among power forwards in the 247 Composite rankings. He is also listed at No. 80 overall in the 2027 class.
Houston was one of three Power Four programs to offer Hawthorne, along with Ole Miss and Mississippi State. His visits included Houston on Aug. 20, LSU on Sept. 5 and Harvard on Sept. 8.
Hawthorne averaged 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 offensive rebounds per game, along with 4.3 blocks. The source describes him as a strong interior defender with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and the athletic ability to cover the court.
His offense remains less developed, but he has been effective near the basket and has taken most of his shots in the paint. He also shoots free throws at about a 60% rate. At Houston, he will join center Derek Daniels and guards Oneal Delancy and Darrell Davis, who are also highly ranked members of the class.
