Kentucky ups recruiting class with Quaintance

Jeff Borzello, ESPN Personnel WriterNov 14, 2023, 12:38 PM ET

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• Basketball recruiting expert.
• Signed up with ESPN in 2014.
• Graduate of University of Delaware.Kentucky landed five-star forward Jayden Quaintance on Tuesday, offering a huge increase to John Calipari’s recruiting class and pushing it into the leading three nationally.Quaintance chose Kentucky over Missouri, although he likewise took sees to Florida, South Florida and Ohio State.A 6-foot-9 power forward from Cleveland who attends Word of God Christian Academy(North Carolina), Quaintance

  is ranked No. 14 in the ESPN 100 for the 2024 class– the No. 3 player at his position in the country. He was originally a member of the 2025 class, however reclassified in 2024. Due to the fact that he just turned 16 years of ages in July– and for that reason will not turn 19 till 2026– he will need to spend two years at Kentucky before getting in the NBA draft.Quaintance averaged 14.5 points and 11.1 rebounds in the Overtime Elite league last season, following it up by balancing 9.9 points and 6.2 rebounds with Team Thad on

  the Nike EYBL circuit this previous spring and summer. He also represented U.S.A. Basketball with the U16 group at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship last summer, putting up 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 6 games en path to a gold medal.He’s off to a strong start so far this season, choosing 23 points and 8 rebounds against City Reapers and 14 points and 8 boards against Cold Hearts in Overtime Elite action earlier this month.Quaintance is among the most explosive,

  skilled and highest-upside forwards in the class. He has advanced movement, ball skills and strength. He presents matchup issues for challengers due to the fact that he can march to make open mid-range shots and 3s. When he enters the paint, he

  aims to play above the rim and finish through– or above– defenders. He is comfy dealing with the ball and shows impulses as a passer. On the glass, he can rebound beyond his area and he will aggressively challenge shots. Quaintance is also a genuine post protector who shows enough lateral foot speed to secure the dribble and hedge on ball screens near the arc.He is Kentucky’s second luxury and fourth total dedication in the 2024 class, joining five-star guard Boogie Fland, ESPN 100 big guy Somto Cyril and ESPN 100 in-state guard Travis Perry, who devoted this previous weekend. The Wildcats’class was unranked getting in the early finalizing period, but the additions of Quaintance and Perry must press them inside the top three.ESPN hiring director Paul Biancardi added to this report.