Mark Pope doesn't seem confident on a timetable for star center Jayden Quaintance

When will Jayden Quaintance be on the floor for the Kentucky Wildcats?

Jan 11, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils forward Jayden Quaintance (21) against the Baylor Bears at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

One of the biggest additions Mark Pope made via the transfer portal this offseason is that of Jayden Quaintance from Arizona State. Kentucky fans know a lot about Quaintance, as he was committed to Kentucky for a while before deciding to make the move to ASU.

After his freshman season playing for the Sun Devils, Quaintance decided to hit the portal, and after a long wait, he will finally be donning the blue and white.

The problem for Quaintance is that during the tail end of his freshman campaign at Arizona State, he tore his ACL and is currently in the recovery process. He seems to be moving well, but Kentucky fans are still waiting to see when their elite center is going to be back on the floor.

Here is the latest information we have on the ACL recovery for Quaintance from Coach Pope.

Jayden Quaintance ACL Recovery Update

On Thursday, Coach Pope went on the Eye On College Basketball Podcast with Matt Norlander and discussed Quaintance. Norlander asked for a timeline on Quaintance, to which Coach Pope responded that he is progressing well, but that it's going to be a little while.

After this answer from Coach Pope, Norlander kept pushing for a more in-depth timeline and asked if we would see him on the floor this season. Coach Pope said that he has every expectation for Quaintance to play this season, but he does not see him playing all of the games.

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

When Norlander asked if we could see Quaintance on the floor by the end of November, Coach Pope responded, "Maybe-ish".

Some fans might hear this news and immediately get concerned, and perhaps a little concern is okay. When hearing Coach Pope talk about Quaintance, he doesn't seem to have a lot of confidence in a timeline for his center, and that is where the concern comes from.

Some Kentucky fans were hoping to see him on the floor by the start of the 2025-26 season, but it sounds like this timetable is now unrealistic.

He is definitely going to miss a few games, which means the play of Brandon Garrison and Malachi Moreno early into the season is going to be very important.

Big Blue Nation needs to hope that Quaintance is going to be on the floor by the start of SEC play because he is going to be one of the best bigs in all of college basketball.