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Jayden Quaintance, a five-star big from Word of God (NC) recently announced his commitment to Arizona State.
Five Star Recruit Commits to Arizona State
After decommitting from Kentucky following the resignation of longtime coach John Calipari, Quaintance chose Arizona State over offers from Ohio State, Louisville, and Kentucky. Quaintance, the #16 prospect in the 2024 class per ESPN scouting, is the highest-rated recruit in program history, narrowly former Houston Rockets shooting guard Josh Christopher.
Because Quaintance turned 16 last July, he will have to play at least two years of college ball to be eligible for the draft, which comes as good news for an Arizona State squad looking to build from the ground up.
Quaintance joins a surprisingly stacked Sun Devils squad that recruited heavily in both the transfer portal and high school. Arizona State landed two four-stars in Amier Ali from Canyon International (AZ) and Sammie Yeanay from Compass Prep (AZ). Three-star recruits Bo Aldridge and Jaden Smith will also join.
At Arizona State, Quaintance will join high-scoring guards BJ Freeman from Milwaukee and Alston Mason from Missouri State. It’s safe to say that Arizona State is not only keen to improve on their 14-18 (8-12) record from last season, but also to improve as they join the highly-competitive Big 12 Conference.
How Quaintance Fits In With Arizona State
Quaintance has been ranked as the #2 center in his class, and with good reason. Standing at 6’9, the McDonald’s All-American is athletic, strong, and already an elite rebounder. Quaintance will bring his offensive versatility to Arizona State — he has the potential to stretch the floor, he’s dangerous off the pick and roll, and an electrifying dunker. He’s also a surprisingly good passer and someone who can lead the offense at times.
Several 2026 NBA mock drafts project Quaintance as a top-three pick. He weighs in as arguably the best center in high school circuits.
“Quaintance is such a unique blend of talent, size, and skillset,” Phenom Hoops scout Patrick O’Brien wrote about Quaintance” [He] can be a force in the paint and at the rim, strong at the boards, and he is skilled enough to play many positions.”
The ex-Team Thad forward is still raw on defense. But, his shot-blocking and natural athleticism are good places to start for the prospect.
“Arizona State, Arizona State it is,” Quaintance’s father told 247Sports after they confirmed his commitment. “It was all Coach [Bobby] Hurley. When I first talked to him we really clicked and then when Jayden got to talk to him they really clicked.
“We went out on the visit and it was right,” he continued. “Arizona State has a former teammate of Jayden’s from Dream City Christian where he played as a freshman and Jayden is really familiar with the state of Arizona, so it all just worked out.”
Hurley will be an integral piece to Quaintance’s evolution as one of college basketball’s best bigs. He recently signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at the Desert Financial Arena until 2026. Hurley has led the team since 2015, achieving a record of 155-131 throughout his nine seasons in Tempe.
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