Kentucky's most important player in non-conference play might surprise fans

Oftentimes, the Kentucky Wildcats play a lot of very talented teams in non-conference play, and that will be no different this season. The Wildcats will play St John's, Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, Gonzaga, and Indiana. All of these basketball teams are going to be incredibly talented this season.

There is one issue ahead for the Wildcats in these games, and that is they will play most of them without a guy who could not only be the best player on the team but even the best player in college hoops. That is center Jayden Quaintance, who is recovering from an ACL tear.

The good news for Kentucky fans is that Quaintance has gotten back to moving around on the floor and doing some things without any contact. While this is great news for Kentucky fans, it still sounds like he is far away from being on the floor for this team.

ASU center Jayden Quaintance (21) reacts after his fifth foul against Iowa State during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Jan. 25, 2025. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That means that someone is going to have to step up for this basketball team until Quaintance is back on the floor. The player who will need to step up is Brandon Garrison.

Last season, Garrison was a role player off the bench for the Wildcats who came in to relieve Amari Williams. During his first season in Lexington, Garrison showed some signs of greatness, but then there were also some moments that left fans scratching their heads.

This offseason, Coach Pope challenged Garrison to become a leader on this team, and it sounds like he is taking on that role nicely.

The goal right now for Kentucky is to have Quaintance back on the floor around mid to early December. If a fair guess can be made that he will return around December 9th, when Kentucky takes on North Carolina Central, this means he will miss the matchups with Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, and Gonzaga.

Mar 4, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) reacts after making a three-point basket during the first half against the LSU Tigers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

If Kentucky wants to be a high seed in the NCAA Tournament and make a deep run, they will have to win some of these games without their star center. This means that Garrison is going to have to step up and play well in the marquee matchups.

This offseason, the hope for fans is that Coach Pope and the staff have helped Garrison to where he won't make silly mistakes like fans saw last season. While Kentucky awaits the return of Quaintance, Garrison will be the most critical Wildcat in non-conference play.