2025-26 Kentucky basketball player preview: Jayden Quaintance

Mark Pope brought in plenty of quality new faces over the off-season, but none bigger than Jayden Quaintance. The 6-10 big man is seen as one of the best draft prospects for the 2026 draft, and what he did last season should have Kentucky fans excited. He earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team as well as being named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. Now, heading into his sophomore year, he has plenty of potential.

Quaintance averaged 9.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, while also averaging 2.6 blocks and 1.1 steals on the defensive end. His defense is why NBA scouts and analysts are so high on him, and he could really put college basketball on notice when he returns from injury and suits up for the Wildcats, a team that will obviously have plenty of eyes on them. Quaintance even had the 19th-best block percentage in all of college basketball last season. In fact, he was historically dominant on that end of the floor last season.

Plenty of college basketball analysts are high on the big man, with so many having him as one of the best players in the conference heading into next season, but CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein thinks Quaintance could end up being a National Defensive Player of the Year candidate. "Jayden Quaintance, in my opinion, has a legitimate chance to be in the discussion to potentially be a National Defensive Player of the Year candidate. ...I think if you're looking for a wildcard, a player that could change Kentucky, a program that hopes every single year to go to the Final Four and have a chance to win a National Championship, that player is Jayden Quaintance."

Quaintance is receiving so much praise heading into the season, further proving why he is currently widely projected as a top five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. What could Quaintance's stats look like next season? Let's make a prediction.

Points - 10.5 per game

Quaintance isn't expected to have a big impact on the offensive end, but his size and versatility should help him get some buckets. Especially even as a potential lob threat, Jaland Lowe could find him heading to the basket on a fast break. Last season at Arizona State, Quaintance had a ton of variance with his scoring, but at Kentucky, Pope will have plenty more scoring threats around him, so that workload should be much more consistent. There is plenty of raw talent with the 6-9 big man on offense, but there is potential.

Rebounds - 8.7 per game

The 6-9 big man will have some competition on the glass as Mo Dioubate is also known as a tenacious rebounder. Both were two of the best rebounders in their respective conferences last season, but Quaintance shouldn't see much of a dip at all in his numbers on the glass despite sharing the frontcourt with a fellow defensive-minded and physical big man in Dioubate. Last season with the Sun Devils, Quaintance set a freshman record for rebounds per game at a 7.9 average.

Assists - 2.6 per game

Mark Pope loves to play through his big man, and with how he played Amari Williams last season, we could see some more passing from Quaintance than in his freshman season, where he averaged 1.5 assists per game. The 6-9 big man could have the opportunity to find some open teammates at the top of the key, but also if Pope wants him to bring the ball up the floor on occasion, which he let Williams do last season. Quaintance is very versatile and certainly has the tools to be a good passer.

Blocks: 3.2 per game

You can't predict Jayden Quaintance's statline and not mention his blocks. This is what scouts and analysts drool over when talking about Quaintance. His incredible shot-blocking ability is a massive part of his game and is what could carry him to being one of the best prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft. Last season, Quaintance averaged 2.3 blocks per game, but that number should be expected to rise in year two, as the big man is not only looking for a big role in Kentucky's frontcourt, but also a platform to showcase why he's so highly sought after. He had 21 games with at least a single block, including 11 of those with at least three shots erased. Quaintance even had three games where he recorded five blocks, with two games having 6 blocks. He'll be sharing the five with veteran Brandon Garrison and incoming freshman Malachi Moreno, but his potential and talent will allow him to get those much-deserved minutes once healthy.

Quaintance could be the X-factor for the Wildcats once he's healthy this season, because his potential is through the roof.