In case there were any Sun Devil fans out there who were still holding onto a glimmer of hope that Arizona State might be able to bring back Jayden Quaintance - who entered the transfer portal last week despite recovering from a torn ACL - that hope was extinguished on Tuesday morning.
NEWS: Arizona State transfer big man Jayden Quaintance, one of the top players in the portal, has committed to Kentucky, source told @On3sports.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 8, 2025
The 6-10 freshman and former 5⭐️ recruit averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks a game. https://t.co/KSKNgjsvjc pic.twitter.com/TE3dnfb9Bn
Quaintance officially committed to the Kentucky Wildcats, which felt like an inevitability once he entered the portal. Quaintance had initially committed to Kentucky out of high school, but he opened things back up when John Calipari left for Arkansas, at which point he chose the Sun Devils.
Now, Quaintance ends up back where he started. The big man was rated as the second best transfer in the portal, and would've been given the top spot if not for his injury. Quaintance is unlikely to be ready to play by the start of next season, though he reportedly feels confident in a mid-December return date.
The Sun Devils weren't exactly pining for Quaintance's return, as it seemed clear internally that he was ready for a fresh start. As such, Bobby Hurley snagged the top uncommitted center recruit just yesterday, though he certainly would've welcomed Quaintance back with open arms.
Now, though, the defensive star is officially gone.