Mark Pope shares his thoughts on five-star transfer Jayden Quaintance
Mark Pope sent Big Blue Nation into a frenzy when he and his staff added elite five-star transfer Jayden Quaintance. The 6’10 star was once a Kentucky commit before deciding to head over to Arizona State for his freshman season.
Last season for the Sun Devils, Quaintance averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 1.1 steals. With his 7’5 wingspan, Quaintance is one of the best-shot blockers in the nation, and this will make him a star in Lexington.
Mark Pope recently had this to say about Quaintance, “Jayden is a 17-year-old phenom who is as explosive as he is skilled, and he is just scratching the surface of what he’s going to become in this game. He’s an incredibly bright kid who is already posting anyone in Big Blue Nation in a game of chess, and he and his family couldn’t be more excited to finally get to wear the Blue and White.”
Quaintance is going to be a lottery pick in the 2026 draft and has a real shot to go in the top five. If this is the case, he will more than likely be the first lottery pick of the Mark Pope era.
The presence of Quaintance around the rim is going to be really good for the Wildcats, as he will be one of the best rebounders and shot blockers in the nation.
Quaintance is coming off an ACL tear, so he will have some rehab to do, but once he is healthy on the floor, the 6’10 forward will be one of the nation’s top players.
