"Kentucky Secures Renewed Commitment from ASU's Jayden Quaintance"
Jayden Quaintance will be donning a Kentucky jersey after all.
The former Arizona State standout made the decision to join coach Mark Pope's Wildcats on Tuesday, according to his father Haminn Quaintance who confirmed to ESPN.
Quaintance, a highly-touted prospect projected to be a top pick in the 2026 NBA draft, recently announced his entry into the transfer portal.
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The 6-foot-9 power forward initially committed to Kentucky as a five-star recruit in 2024, but withdrew his commitment when coach John Calipari left to take over as head coach at Arkansas.
\"We always had a strong interest in Kentucky,\" Haminn Quaintance told ESPN. \"... We were hoping they would reconsider and recruit him. It didn't make sense for Coach Pope to go after one of Calipari's players before, but this time it felt like he really wanted Jayden to be a part of the team.\"
During his lone season with the Sun Devils, Quaintance averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 24 games (all starts). He was also named to the Big 12 All-Defensive and All-Freshman teams, but Arizona State had a disappointing season with a record of 13-20 (4-16).
Quaintance underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee on March 19, but is expected to be cleared for contact by September.
He graduated from high school a year early and was only 16 when he joined Arizona State. Due to his age, he will not be eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft as he doesn't turn 19 until July 2026.
Kentucky has been actively pursuing transfers, with Quaintance being the latest addition to their roster. Coach Pope has also secured commitments from Jaland Lowe (Pitt), Mouhamed Dioubate (Alabama), and Kam Williams (Tulane).
