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Projected Top-5 2026 Draft Pick Reveals Reason for Transfer to Kentucky

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mathey Gibson | Last updated Apr 10, 2025 3:01 PM ET

Jayden Quaintance, one of the top young players in college basketball, announced earlier this week that he's transferring from Arizona State to Kentucky.

Now, he’s explaining why.

In an interview with Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster on "The Field of 68," the projected top-5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft shared what led to his decision on Thursday.

“I felt like Kentucky was the best fit for me,” Quaintance said. “Coach Pope knows where I need to improve and what I have to go through really well. That drove me here.”

"I felt like Kentucky was the best fit for me. Coach Pope knows where I need to improve and what I have to go through really well. That drove me here"

Jayden Quaintance joins us LIVE ⬇️⬇️https://t.co/s7N7WhKVSa https://t.co/VCejizSVPK
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) April 10, 2025

Quaintance is just 17 years old and already one of the most talked-about prospects in the country.

He reclassified from the 2025 high school class to play at Arizona State this past season. Now, he's looking for a bigger stage — and more growth — under Kentucky’s second-year head coach Mark Pope.

At Arizona State, Quaintance showed flashes of elite potential with his size, speed, and skill. But now he’s ready to take the next step at a school with a history of developing NBA talent.

This move is also big for Coach Pope, who took over the Kentucky job after John Calipari’s departure last season. Adding a player like Quaintance is a major win and shows that top talent is buying into his vision for the program.

Quaintance’s move to the SEC gives him a new stage to prove his growth and make a case as one of the most NBA-ready prospects in college basketball. And with Pope steering his development, there's plausible reasons to be excited.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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