By LARRY VAUGHT
(LEXINGTON, Ky.)-Braxton Keathley averaged 34.3 points and 10 rebounds per game last season at Prestonsburg to lead the state in scoring as a sophomore, had consecutive 50-point games and scored 40 or more points in eight games.
He shot a state-best 92.2 percent from the foul line and his 248 made free throws ranked fourth nationally. However, what put the 6-foot-5, 190-pound Keathley on the national radar even more was a video he posted on social media of him making 113 out of 115 3-pointers during a workout.
That video caught the eye of Drew Hanlen, a personal basketball trainer who specializes in helping players develop moves in game speed. He’s worked with NBA stars Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine, Chet Holmgren, Andrew Wiggins and others including former UK stars Tyrese Maxey and Tyler Herro.
Hanlen reached out to Keathley on X (formerly Twitter) and Keathley knew immediately who he was.
“He liked how hard I worked would be in the gym at 5 a.m some days and said it reminded him of him when he was a kid and what he would do. He said not a lot of kids work like that any more and he wanted me to come to Los Angeles and work with his players,” Keathley said.
Keathley’s parents had about two days to make travel plans to go to LA where he spent four days. He got to work out with Holmgren and Levine at times but he worked out with Maxey, the Philadelphia 76ers star, daily.
“NBA guys have so much going due to all the deals and endorsements they have. It’s kind of insane,” Keathley said. “Tyrese was there every day. I was more excited than nervous being around him. I knew how hard he works and I work that hard now. I was just thrilled to see what I could learn from him.
“He went out of his way to help me. You just can’t find people like him. He smiles the whole time he is going against you and helping you. He 100 percent helped me by telling me the different change of pace you have to learn. He talked about bumping and making contact first (with the defender).”
Hanlen was also big on change of pace and worked with Keathley about coming off ball screens knowing teams would not switch to keep the best defender on him.
“He wanted me to come off that screen, bump the defender with my shoulder and create space to drive or pass,” Keathley said.
A lot of college coaches reached out to Keathley after his high-level workouts in Los Angeles. Eastern Kentucky, Bowling Green, Ohio University, Southeast Missouri State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi and UT Martin have all offered scholarships. However, the list of schools who have reached out to him includes Louisville, Florida State, LSU, Marshall, Belmont, South Carolina, Western Kentucky and many others.
He will visit Florida State Sept. 27, Louisville Oct. 4 and Arkansas State Oct. 25.
“Louisville specifically asked me what I learned. Belmont reached out to me after I went and I have a visit coming up there,” Keathley, who has transferred from Prestonsburg to Martin County for his junior year, said.
The one school he’s not heard from but still hopes he will is the University of Kentucky. The Cats have gone into eastern Kentucky to sign Reed Sheppard of North Laurel and Trent Noah of Harlan County. Keathley is a three-star prospect, the first 15th Region player to earn a national ranking from Rivals or ESPN since 2007. He is also considered a top 200 player in his recruiting class and top 50 among shooting guards.
“I have heard from Louisville, Western Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Northern Kentucky and Murray State,” Keathley said. “I haven’t heard anything from Kentucky. That is a big school and I really hope they will show some interest, too.
“I am just going to keep working. Everything I have gotten is through hard work and being a good person. I know my hard work will pay off. I have always been able to shoot the ball really well but I’ve worked to be a better shooter. I want to be the best shooter in the world and the more I work on my shot, the better it will get. Me and my dad shoot 100 to 200 free throws per day. I want to make all the shots I can every day.”