The health of sophomore big man Jayden Quaintance has been one of the biggest questions of the offseason for Kentucky basketball. The former Arizona State transfer, who tore his ACL last February, is expected to be a transformative defensive force when he returns. Now, coach Mark Pope has provided a detailed and optimistic update on his progress.
Making progress at 'lightspeed'
Speaking with Field of 68, Pope confirmed that while Quaintance is not yet cleared for live practice, his recovery is moving at "lightspeed."
"He is like in the 5 1/2 month stage right now," Pope said. "His numbers are ridiculous."
Pope then detailed a key metric in modern ACL rehabilitation: strength asymmetry. "He went from 49-46 percent strength asymmetry between his legs... and now he is at a 3 percent."
Understanding strength asymmetry
If you are wondering what the heck that means. You aren't alone. Strength asymmetry measures the power difference between the injured leg and the healthy leg. A high percentage indicates a significant imbalance, which increases the risk of re-injury. An athlete getting that number down to just 3 percent—meaning both legs are operating at nearly identical strength—in under six months is a sign of elite-level recovery and dedication. There was a photo circulating back in August where JQ was dunking with slides on that caused a stir. But he is not ready or contact drills yet.
Patience is the priority
While a typical ACL recovery timeline for an athlete of Quaintance's caliber is often nine months or more, Pope stressed that the team will not rush him back, despite his rapid progress. If he is at 5 1/2 months he would have 3 1/2 to go meaning a return date of late December.
"I do know we are going to proceed with the utmost caution," Pope affirmed. "He is passing benchmarks faster than we thought... We have a whole map laid out and we will see how it goes."
Once he's healthy, Kentucky will have the kind of game-changing shot blocker and versatile defender they've been missing. But straight from the coach's mouth, the focus is entirely on a safe, long-term return as it should be.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion