'Immensely talented' 17-year-old Arizona State freshman projected as NBA lottery pick
Jayden Quaintance is the highest-ranked recruit in Arizona State basketball history.
And he's only 17.
"Jayden is special," Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley said at Big 12 Media Day. "What he's going to be a couple years from now is scary because he's already so advanced for his age, turning 17 in July. He'll be one of the youngest players in college basketball, but you look at him physically, he's prepared to compete at this level."
A 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward from Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina, Quaintance is so young that he won't be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2026. Which means Hurley has him for two years.
"His makeup is outstanding. His habits are tremendous for a young person," Hurley said. "He's a worker. He's in the gym all the time. He's immensely talented. He can face up and dribble the ball. He's got some finesse to his game in addition to the physicality that he brings."
He originally committed to Kentucky, but flipped to Arizona State after John Calipari left for Arkansas. He's the centerpiece of a 2024 recruiting class that includes five-star shooting guard Joson Sanon - a projected first-round NBA pick - and four-star forward Amier Ali.
Quaintance is projected as a top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft - as an 18-year-old. He boasts a 7-foot-3 wingspan, is a relentless rebounder and has a surprisingly soft touch around the rim.
But what Hurley likes most about him is his motor.
"He's got a motor that is as good as any that I've ever coached," Hurley said. "I always prided myself when I played on being able to sustain minutes and to be able to be a guy that could play 35 to 40 minutes without getting tired, and Jayden is far superior than I ever was in that regard or anybody I've coached. He just never stops. He's relentless and goes after the basketball, plays with tremendous energy and passion. Very fortunate to have him in the program because he could easily be in a high school classroom somewhere right now."
Arizona State fans will get their first look at Quaintance on Sunday when the Sun Devils travel to play Duke in a preseason scrimmage. The scrimmage is scheduled to tip off at 4 p.m. MST and will be televised on the ACC Network.
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Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. One of his favorite memories was covering the 1999 Fiesta Bowl - the first BCS National Championship Game - at Sun Devil Stadium.