Where Jayden Quaintance and Otega Oweh are projected ahead of NBA Draft night

The NBA Draft is finally here. After the combine took place in Chicago at the end of May, mock drafts began to be churned out every day. Now that the day has come for the draft, many outlets have updated their mocks to the newest version. As for what Kentucky fans need to watch for, Jayden Quaintance and Otega Oweh are looking to hear their name called.

Where will they land? Many mock drafts have Quaintance in particular sliding. Once a projected loterry pick, the big man is now seen as a late-first rounder in many mock drafts. Due to only playing four games at Kentucky following an ACL injury and the concern from how he played when he was on the floor, it's understandable. But, the sneaky thing here is that a healthy Jayden Quaintance could be a steal with where he's projected now. As for Otega Oweh, the mid-to-late second round slot is the likely scenario.

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance (21) shows emotion against the St. John Red Storm in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

With it being draft day, at least for the first round, with round two taking place on Wednesday, let's take a look at where a couple of popular outlets have the two landing, as team fit will play a big role for both, but especially Quaintance with his very high potential.

ESPN

Jayden Quaintace - #27 overall, Boston Celtics

Here is the draft analysis on the big man by ESPN's Jeremy Woo: "Quaintance did not earn a green room invitation as teams continue to express concern about the state of his injured knee, something multiple team sources fear could cause him to miss time next season," Woo said. "Still, teams love his talent and physical tools as a vertical spacing 5-man and see major upside if he can get back to full strength. Where Quaintance ultimately lands will depend on individual teams' comfort level selecting him. There remains enough enthusiasm around his ability that it's hard to see him falling all the way out of the first."

Otega Oweh - Undrafted

Yahoo Sports

Jayden Quaintance - #27 overall, Boston Celtics

Here is what Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor has to say about Quaintance: "Quaintance is going to get drafted based almost entirely on what he looked like before his knee exploded. As a freshman at Arizona State, he was blocking everything in sight, showing defensive instincts and mobility that players his size aren't supposed to have, and he was 17 years old doing it. Then came the ACL, the meniscus, the fractured knee, the transfer to Kentucky, persistent swelling, a shutdown for the remainder of his sophomore season, and an inability to fully workout for teams during the pre-draft phase. At some point, someone is gonna take a swing on him, though, and it’d be hard to fault the Celtics for swinging for the fences here."

Otega Oweh - #53 overall, Houston Rockets

Here is O'Connor's analysis on Oweh: "As a 6-4 wing with a strong frame, Oweh became one of the best slashing wings in college basketball and had one of the great games of the season with 35/8/7 against Santa Clara in the opening round of March Madness with a buzzer-beater to force overtime. At the next level, though, he doesn’t project to be a primary creator because of his shaky handle and jumper, so the odds are he’ll need to adapt as a role player. Fortunately, he has a ton of those skills as a cutter, connective passer, and versatile defender."

CBS Sports (No 2nd round projections)

Jayden Quaintance - #25 overall, Los Angeles Lakers

Here is what CBS Sports' Cameron Salerno has to say about Quaintance heading into the draft: "The Lakers biggest need heading into the offseason should be finding a center. If Quaintance is still on the board, that should be the pick. He is one of the most unique prospects in this class. After playing in just four games at Kentucky last season, his stock has taken a hit. Still, when healthy, he is one of the best defenders in the class."

There you have it. We seem to have a very common trend with Quaintance in particular, as noted earlier in the article. We'll see who takes a shot with the big man, but you can't deny that a healthy Quaintance has long-term potential. It will also be interesting to see where Oweh lands, because he can certainly carve out a role at the next level.

The first night of the NBA Draft awaits in Brooklyn, with the second round coming on Wednesday.

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