Jasper Johnson’s Call to Mark Pope Helped Kentucky Land Jayden Quaintance

Bringing Jayden Quaintance to Lexington was a group effort for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Quaintance, who transferred from Arizona State after his freshman season, has previously talked about what led to his decision to join UK. Two of Kentucky’s incoming freshmen were instrumental in recruiting him — especially Jasper Johnson, who already had a strong connection with Quaintance. The two shared the court during their AAU days, playing for Team Thad on the Nike EYBL circuit a couple of summers ago.

“Jasper kept reaching out, getting in my ear and talking about how coming to Kentucky would be a great move,” Quaintance said during a recent media session. “He definitely influenced my decision to commit.”

Head coach Mark Pope ultimately closed the deal, but Johnson’s early involvement may have been what sparked serious interest in the first place. During his first media appearance as a Wildcat on Thursday, Johnson talked more about how he helped make it happen — starting with a phone call to Pope.

“Jayden is an athletic freak,” Johnson said. “He can do it all — pass, shoot, handle the ball, block shots, communicate. I’ve played with him, so I know firsthand how talented he is.”

Johnson recalled that right after committing to Kentucky himself, Quaintance had texted him while he was playing video games. “I was like, man, I need to call Coach Pope and see if we can go after this kid. He’s just too special to pass up,” he said.

That recruiting push paid off. After an impressive season at Arizona State — playing as a 17-year-old and earning Big 12 All-Defense honors — Quaintance entered the transfer portal and committed to Kentucky in April. The 6-foot-9 forward is considered a potential top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and many believe he could be the best defensive player in college basketball next season.

First, though, he’ll need to fully recover from an ACL injury he suffered in late February. Quaintance had surgery in March, and while there’s hope he’ll return early in the 2025–26 season, there’s no confirmed timeline just yet.

Still, once he’s back on the court, expectations for the Wildcats will rise significantly.

“On defense, if I miss a rotation or someone else makes a mistake, I know Jayden’s there to cover it up,” Johnson added. “When he’s healthy again, he’s going to block shots, run the floor — he’s just an insane athlete. I’m really glad he’s on my team.”