It does not appear that former Kentucky forward Jayden Quaintance will hear his name called in the lottery of next week’s 2026 NBA Draft — or well into the first round, for that matter.
That’s at least how NBA teams are viewing the physical specimen with injury questions coming off a four-game sophomore campaign in Lexington.
NBA Draft green room invites have been extended, with 24 players invited to Brooklyn to hear their names called to begin the two-day event starting on Tuesday, June 23. Those come following a vote by franchise presidents and general managers on who they expect to be drafted first. Among those notably absent? You guessed it.
Quaintance joins the likes of Koa Peat, Meleek Thomas, Henri Veesaar, Zuby Ejiofor, Tarris Reed Jr. and Joshua Jefferson on the outside looking in. The total list includes:
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cam Boozer
Caleb Wilson
Keaton Wagler
Darius Acuff Jr.
Mikel Brown Jr.
Kingston Flemings
Brayden Burries
Nate Ament
Aday Mara
Yaxel Lendeborg
Morez Johnson Jr.
Karim Lopez
Christian Anderson Jr.
Labaron Philon
Cameron Carr
Chris Cenac Jr.
Hannes Steinbach
Bennett Stirtz
Isaiah Evans
Allen Graves
Ebuka Okorie
Dailyn Swain
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo broke the news of the full 24-player green room list, spread out in recent days and finalized on Wednesday.
His latest mock draft has Quaintance going No. 25 to the Los Angeles Lakers — right outside that top-24 range.
“Quaintance’s profile appears to be in limbo at the moment due largely to the health of his knee, with team sources consistently expressing concern around his medicals,” Woo wrote of the former Wildcat. “He had knee surgery in March 2025 after tearing his ACL at Arizona State, and he was able to play in just four games at Kentucky last season due to precautions around that knee.
“He is unanimously viewed as a first-round talent and is drawing consideration as high as the teens, but where he ends up might be predicated on how team doctors individually view his case.”
Quaintance finished his career averaging 5.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 16.5 minutes per game at Kentucky, highlighted by a 10-point, eight-rebound, two-block effort in the team’s 78-66 win vs. St. John’s in his debut. Prior to his time at UK, he averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 29.7 minutes per contest at Arizona State.
Only six days until we receive clarity on his basketball future one way or another. Will teams bank on his undeniable upside, or will injury concerns lead to a steep fall on draft night?
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