Aaron Bradshaw

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Aaron Bradshaw

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| team = Memphis Tigers

| number =

| position = Power forward / center

| league = American Athletic Conference

| height_ft = 7

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 226

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|11|16}}

| birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, U.S.

| high_school =

| college =

Kentucky (2023–2024)
Ohio State (2024–2025)
Memphis (2025–present)

| highlights =

McDonald's All-American (2023)
Jordan Brand Classic (2023)

}}

Aaron Bradshaw (born November 16, 2003) is an American college basketball player for the Memphis Tigers. He previously played for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Kentucky Wildcats.

Early life and high school career

Bradshaw grew up in Rahway, New Jersey and initially attended Roselle Catholic High School. He transferred to Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey after his freshman year and enrolled as an out-of district student paying a nominal tuition.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2022/06/camden-celebrates-a-hoops-rebirth-but-critics-wonder-did-they-cheat-their-way-to-a-championship.html|title=Camden celebrates a hoops rebirth. But critics wonder: Did they cheat their way to a championship?|first=Kevin|last=Armstrong|website=NJ.com|date=June 21, 2022|access-date=October 29, 2024}} Bradshaw missed his sophomore basketball season due to academic eligibility issues.{{cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/high-school-sports/new-jersey/aaron-bradshaw-basketball-recruiting-camden-kentucky-20220915.html|title=Camden High basketball player Aaron Bradshaw has choice of colleges|first=Christian|last=Red|work=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=September 15, 2022|access-date=February 15, 2023}} Bradshaw averaged 8.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game as a junior.{{cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/high-school-sports/new-jersey/basketball-recruiting-dj-wagner-justin-edwards-aaron-bradshaw-20220721.html|title=Three huge high school basketball prospects, all from the Philly area|first=Sam|last=Cohn|work=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=July 21, 2022|access-date=February 15, 2023}} Bradshaw was selected to play in the 2023 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.{{cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/high-school-sports/new-jersey/mcdonalds-all-american-games-high-school-basketball-hannah-hidalgo-dj-wagner-justin-edwards-aaron-bradshaw-20230124.html|title=Paul VI's Hannah Hidalgo is a McDonald's All American; Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner, and Aaron Bradshaw also make cut|first=Isabella|last=DiAmore|work=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=January 24, 2023|access-date=February 15, 2023}} He was also named a finalist for the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2023/02/kentucky-bound-camden-stars-dj-wagner-aaron-bradshaw-named-finalists-for-player-of-the-year.html|title=Kentucky-bound Camden stars D.J. Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw finalists for Naismith|first=Adam|last=Zagoria|website=NJ.com|date=February 3, 2023|access-date=February 16, 2023}}

=Recruiting=

Bradshaw was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, according to major recruiting services.{{cite web |last=Roberts |first=Ben |date=June 14, 2022 |title=Aaron Bradshaw visits Kentucky, and more recruiting news |url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/next-cats-blog/article262448722.html |access-date=February 15, 2023 |work=Lexington Herald Leader}}{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/Article/Get-to-know-new-five-star-Aaron-Bradshaw-2023-basketball-recruiting-Kentucky-Louisville-UCLA-Texas-USC-192139865/|title=Get to know new five-star prospect: Aaron Bradshaw|first=Travis|last=Branham|website=247Sports.com|date=August 27, 2022|access-date=February 15, 2023}} On October 14, 2022, he committed to playing college basketball for Kentucky over offers from Louisville, Texas, UCLA and USC.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/kentucky-basketball-recruiting-five-star-center-aaron-bradshaw-commits-to-wildcats-over-louisville-ucla/|title=Kentucky basketball recruiting: Five-star center Aaron Bradshaw commits to Wildcats over Louisville, UCLA|first=David|last=Cobb|website=CBS Sports|date=October 14, 2022|access-date=February 15, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/34796661|title=No. 5 hoops prospect Aaron Bradshaw commits to Kentucky|first=Jeff|last=Borzello|website=ESPN.com|date=October 14, 2022|access-date=February 16, 2023}} Bradshaw also considered playing professionally in the NBA G League.{{cite web |last=Drummond |first=Cameron |date=October 10, 2022 |title=Aaron Bradshaw and DJ Wagner will both be at Madness. Here's the latest on their UK recruitments |url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article267096486.html |access-date=February 16, 2023 |work=Lexington Herald Leader}}

{{College Athlete Recruit Entry

| recruit = Aaron Bradshaw

| position = C

| hometown = Rahway, NJ

| highschool = Camden (NJ)

| feet = 7

| inches = 0

| weight = 210

| 40 =

| commitdate = October 14, 2022

| scout stars =

| rivals stars = 5

| 247 stars = 5

| espn stars = 5

| espn grade = 93

}}

{{College Athlete Recruit End

| 40 =

| year = 2023

| rivals ref title = Kentucky 2023 Basketball Commitments

| scout ref title =

| espn ref title = 2023 Kentucky Wildcats Recruiting Class

| rivals school = Kentucky

| scout s =

| espn schoolid = 96

| 247 overall = 5

| rivals overall = 2

| espn overall = 6

| accessdate = October 17, 2023

| bball = yes

}}

College career

Bradshaw enrolled at the University of Kentucky in June 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.aseaofblue.com/2023/6/2/23746943/aaron-bradshaw-rob-dillingham-kentucky-basketball-news|title=Aaron Bradshaw and Rob Dillingham arrive at Kentucky|first=Jason|last=Marcum|website=ASeaOfBlue.com|publisher=SB Nation|date=June 2, 2023|access-date=June 5, 2023}} Shortly after enrolling, he underwent surgery on a broken foot that caused him to miss all of the Wildcats' preseason training and the start of his freshman season.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/38642842/kentucky-centers-aaron-bradshaw-ugonna-onyenso-several-more-weeks|title=Kentucky centers Aaron Bradshaw, Ugonna Onyenso out several more weeks|first=Jeff|last=Borzello|website=ESPN.com|date=October 12, 2023|access-date=April 12, 2024}} Bradshaw was cleared to play one month into the season and made his college debut on December 2, 2023, in the Wildcats' upset loss to UNC Wilmington.{{cite web|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2023/12/02/aaron-bradshaw-injury-update-kentucky-basketball-john-calipari-uk-mbb/71564796007/|title=Kentucky basketball injury report: Aaron Bradshaw returns for Wildcats|work=Courier Journal|date=December 2, 2023|access-date=April 12, 2024}} The following game, he scored a season-high 17 points with 11 rebounds, three blocks, and one steal as Kentucky beat Penn 81-66.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/articles/cbk/aaron-bradshaw-has-doubledouble-helps-no-16-kentucky-hold-off-penn-8166|title=Aaron Bradshaw has double-double, helps No. 16 Kentucky hold off Penn 81-66|website=Fox Sports|agency=Associated Press|date=December 9, 2023|access-date=April 12, 2024}} Bradshaw became the Wildcats' starting center afterwards, but was moved back to the bench at the end of January.{{cite web|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2024/02/15/aaron-bradshaw-kentucky-basketball-nba-draft-john-calipari-recruiting/72558682007/|title=Aaron Bradshaw: Should Kentucky freshman return or enter NBA draft?|work=Courier Journal|date=February 15, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024}} He finished the season averaging 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds over 26 games played.{{cite web|url=https://tylerpaper.com/reports-kentucky-frosh-aaron-bradshaw-to-enter-portal/article_240eab85-ded3-5a66-b41a-65c4af9ad51c.html|title=Reports: Kentucky frosh Aaron Bradshaw to enter portal|work=Tyler Morning Telegraph|date=April 8, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024}} Bradshaw announced he would be entering the NCAA transfer portal shortly after it was reported that Kentucky head coach John Calipari would be leaving the program to become the head coach at Arkansas.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39901087/kentucky-aaron-bradshaw-first-portal-calipari-move|title=Kentucky's Bradshaw enters portal, while Knox decommits|first=Jeff|last=Borzello|website=ESPN.com|date=April 8, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024}}

On April 15, 2024, Bradshaw announced on his Instagram page that he would be committing to Ohio State.{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C5yhYDIrk7k/ | title=Instagram }}