Mark Pope and the Kentucky coaching staff went out this offseason and brought in a face that is quite familiar to Big Blue Nation. That is former Arizona State center Jayden Quaintance, who at one point was committed to John Calipari before he left Kentucky.
Quaintance was an interesting case as his age made it to where he had to play multiple years of college basketball even though he could have been a first-round draft pick if he left this season.
During his true freshman season at Arizona State, Quaintance averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game for the Sun Devils. While these numbers were great for a 16-year-old player, it is scary to think what he will do in year two of college basketball at Kentucky.
Many believe Quaintance will be a top five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, so the Wildcats have a great player on their hands. The 6’10 sophomore is coming off of an ACL tear and is going to be rehabbing this offseason. How quickly he gets back to 100% will have a significant effect on this Kentucky team.
If Quaintance is able to get back to himself near the beginning of the season, he will be the best big in the SEC. There are some elite forwards at Florida and all over the SEC, but if the upside hits for Quaintance, no forward in the SEC will even be in his ballpark.
The elite shot blocker is going to put up historic numbers for the Wildcats this season on his way to being Pope’s first lottery pick.
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