Jayden Quaintance will be suiting up for Kentucky after all.
The former Arizona State star committed to coach Mark Pope’s Wildcats on Tuesday, his father Haminn Quaintance confirmed to ESPN.
Quaintance, a projected 2026 NBA lottery pick, announced last week that he was entering the transfer portal.
The 6-foot-9 forward originally committed to Kentucky as a five-star recruit in 2024 before backing off when coach John Calipari left to become the head coach at Arkansas.
“We always liked Kentucky,” Haminn Quaintance told ESPN. “… We were always hoping they’d come back around and recruit him. It didn’t make sense for Coach Pope last time, trying to take on one of Cal’s guys, but this time it really felt like he wanted him to be there.”
During his lone season in Tempe, Quaintance averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots in 24 games (all starts). He made the Big 12 All-Defensive and All-Freshman teams but the Sun Devils finished 13-20 (4-16).
Quaintance had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee on March 19 but is expected to be cleared for contact by September.
Quaintance graduated from high school a year early and was only 16 when he arrived at Arizona State. He is not old enough to be eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft because he doesn’t turn 19 until July 2026.
Kentucky has been active in the transfer portal. In addition to Quaintance, Pope has received commitments from Jaland Lowe (Pitt), Mouhamed Dioubate (Alabama) and Kam Williams (Tulane).
–Field Level Media
