Ever since the beginning of the 2025 season, fans have been anxiously waiting for Jayden Quaintance. And finally, it looks like the Wildcats would get their premier defensive piece back soon. But, even as Kentucky monitors his recovery, something bigger is happening around the 18-year-old rising star.

Despite rehabbing from an ACL tear, NBA scouts aren’t just watching him; they’re circling. Just last week, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman both ranked him in their updated 2026 mock drafts. ESPN placed him at No. 9 to the Memphis Grizzlies, while Bleacher Report projected him at No. 8 to the Oklahoma City Thunder via the Clippers.

“Optimistically, he projects as a vertical spacer and lob threat who can also anchor a team defensively, but he’s not a good outsid

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