Triston Hawthorne, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound power forward from South Jones High School in Ellisville, Mississippi, has committed to Houston for the 2027 class. His pledge, announced Sept. 17, gives the Cougars four four-star recruits in the cycle. 247Sports lists all four among the nation’s top 100 players and currently ranks Houston’s class No. 1 nationally.
Hawthorne is rated the top player in Mississippi by 247Sports. The 247Sports Composite ranks him No. 15 at power forward and No. 80 overall in the 2027 class. Houston, Ole Miss and Mississippi State were the three Power Four programs that offered him. He visited Houston on Aug. 20, followed by trips to LSU on Sept. 5 and Harvard on Sept. 8.
The report, written by Maanav Gupta for si.com, credits Hawthorne with averages of 10.8 rebounds, 4.0 offensive rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game. His 7-foot-2 wingspan and athleticism are viewed as assets on the glass and defensively.
Offensively, he remains less developed, but he has produced near the basket and from the dunker’s spot, taking most of his attempts in the paint while making about 60% of his free throws. Houston’s class also includes center Derek Daniels and guards Oneal Delancy and Darrell Davis.