No team has won a national title without a 1st round pick since 2016
For the first time since 2010, Kentucky watched the NBA Draft come and go this past June without hearing a single Wildcat’s name called in the first round. That’s not just unusual—it’s historic. But any talk of decline in Lexington is very, very premature.
According to CBS Sports’ newly released 2026 NBA mock draft, Kentucky is already expected to bounce back in a big way. Slotted at No. 7 overall to the Toronto Raptors: Jayden Quaintance, the explosive 6-9 forward with perhaps the highest ceiling in college basketball this season.
Quaintance reclassified up a year early last season and played for Arizona State, making him too young for the 2025 draft. But even as one of the youngest players in the Power Five ranks, he flashed dominant potential. The numbers—9 points, 8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.1 steals—only hint at what he might become.
What stood out to scouts wasn’t just his tools—like a near 7-foot-5 wingspan and powerful frame—but his defensive instincts. "If we see those offensive tools turn into more consistent production this year at Kentucky,” CBS noted, “especially beyond the finishing he's already proven, he should be one of the very top frontcourt names in the field."
That’s high praise for a player who will not turn 18 until next month, and is coming off an ACL injury. Kentucky head coach Mark Pope will likely bring him along slowly in the early non-conference schedule, but make no mistake—NBA eyes will be locked in.
If he fulfills even half the promise that CBS projects, Kentucky fans can expect their first lottery pick since Tyrese Maxey in 2020—and a strong return to form for a program used to sitting near the top on draft night.
Remember no team has won a national title without a first round pick since 2016 Villanova. The Cats will look to get back to the Final Four and also have a 1st round pick in 2026.