Sources: UK’s Quaintance to reopen recruitment

Five-star forward Jayden Quaintance, the highest-ranked member of John Calipari’s 2024 recruiting class, has requested a release from his letter of intent to Kentucky and plans to reopen his recruitment, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

Quaintance’s request comes hours after Calipari was officially announced as the new head coach at Arkansas.

He’s the second Kentucky recruit to reopen his recruitment since the news of Calipari’s departure first broke Sunday night, joining top-25 prospect Karter Knox. Freshman center Aaron Bradshaw has entered the transfer portal, while Rob Dillingham — a projected lottery pick — entered the NBA draft.

Quaintance, ranked No. 14 in the ESPN 100, was a McDonald’s All-American after a stellar senior season at Word of God Christian Academy (North Carolina). He was originally a member of the 2025 class, but reclassified to 2024 so he could play in college a year earlier. But because he only turned 16 years old last July — and therefore won’t turn 19 until 2026 — Quaintance will likely have to spend two years in college before entering the NBA draft.

He represented USA Basketball at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship last summer, averaging 6.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in six games en route to a gold medal. Quaintance put up 9.9 points and 6.2 rebounds with Team Thad on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring and summer, and he played well in high-profile games against Overtime Elite teams this past season.

With Quaintance and Knox out of the fold, four ESPN 100 prospects remain in what was once the No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the country: five-star guard Johnuel “Boogie” Fland and four-stars Billy Richmond, Somto Cyril and Travis Perry.

When Quaintance originally committed to Kentucky in November, he chose the Wildcats over Missouri, while also taking visits to Florida, South Florida and Ohio State.