Kentucky is reportedly re-engaging with Jayden Quaintance, who previously committed to the Wildcats under John Calipari. Mark Pope’s staff has made contact with Quaintance, and there seems to be mutual interest in a potential reunion. Quaintance, a 6-foot-9 forward from Cleveland, Ohio, is currently recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered during his freshman season at Arizona State. His father has mentioned that Quaintance is expected to be cleared for full contact by September, which would allow him to be ready for the upcoming season.
During his freshman year, Quaintance played in 24 games, starting each one. He averaged 9.3 points per game, shooting 52.5% from the field, along with 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals in 29.7 minutes of play. He earned a spot on both the Big 12 All-Freshman and All-Defensive Teams, despite being the youngest player in college basketball.
Quaintance is seen as one of the most intriguing and risky prospects in this year’s transfer portal. While there’s a high potential for him to make significant improvements in his second year and possibly become an All-American candidate, his recovery from the ACL injury presents a significant unknown. ACL injuries are notoriously challenging to recover from, and it’s unclear whether Quaintance will return to his previous form or face setbacks in his recovery.
Another factor that could complicate matters is Quaintance’s likely NIL demands, which are expected to exceed $2 million. This could present a challenge for Kentucky, especially after they missed out on San Diego State transfer Magoon Gwath, who also had injury concerns. Kentucky reportedly hesitated to offer Gwath his full NIL package upfront, preferring to include performance-based incentives depending on his health. It’s possible they could take a similar approach with Quaintance, but that might add complexity to negotiations.
At the moment, it seems that Quaintance won’t rush his decision, giving Kentucky time to consider other more reliable big men for next season. If those options fall through, they may turn their full attention to Quaintance.
