Just one week shy of being 13 years old and now transitioning into the 8th grade, Braxton Ferguson has already picked up his first D-1 offer in basketball. Braxton was granted special permission to be able to attend the Eastern Kentucky University all High School Elite Camp. Of the nearly 200 attendees for the session, Braxton was the only middle school player to attend.

The camp was run by EKU Men’s Head Basketball Coach, A.W. Hamilton, who is fresh off the team’s Atlantic Sun 2024 Regular Season Conference Championship. It was the first time Eastern Kentucky has been their conference champion in 45 years. During the camp, Coach Hamilton had his players and coaching staff break up the attending players into groups to put them through several different drills that focused on player’s speed, quickness, agility, ball handling, passing and shooting from various distances before being placed on teams to play 5-on-5.

At the conclusion of the camp, Braxton was asked to stay in the auditorium because Coach Hamilton wanted to speak to him after he finished talking to eight or nine other players. While Coach Hamilton met with Braxton, he explained to him what he liked about his game and proceeded to say, “l would like to be the first to officially offer you a scholarship.”

He told Braxton he wants him to come on campus and also attend both football and basketball games. Coach Hamilton wants him to come to practice and weight lifting sessions to see how they do it in college. “I would like for Braxton to get a jump start on the whole college experience,” he said.

In the graduating class of 2029, there are three known players that currently hold basketball scholarship offers. One is J.J. Crawford from Seattle, Washington. His offer came from the University of Montana. The second is Josiah Brooks from Florida. His offer came from Florida State University. The third being Braxton with Easten Kentucky University. This offer put him in rare company, he is now among just a handful of players in history to be offered a Division-1 basketball scholarship before entering high school.

Ferguson said: “l feel really blessed and honored to have received my first D-1 offer. I really appreciate everyone that has helped me to this point in my basketball career. My family, my teammates and my coaches who have pushed me hard and make me work to try and get better each practice.”

Ferguson attends Yellow Creek School Center in Middlesboro and played up last season on the Bell County High School varsity team.

Congratulations Braxton, best of wishes in the future!