The 2025-26 season was not a good one for Kentucky Wildcats center Jayden Quaintance. He came to Lexington after a big freshman season at Arizona State, and was supposed to develop his offensive game then head off to the NBA draft as a potential top ten pick.

Unfortunately, the knee injury that was supposed to be healed by December lingered, and he missed the entire season outside of a few games. It was an unfortunate turn of events, and could have lasting effects on his future and his draft position, according to the latest draft rankings from ESPN.

In the newest update, ESPN dropped Quaintance a few spots to number 20 overall. Here’s what Jeremy Woo had to say about him.

Quaintance played in just four games this season after recurring knee issues sidelined him coming off last year’s ACL surgery. Those circumstances make him a tricky case ahead of the draft, given the limited minutes he’ll have on his résumé and the limitations around his archetype as an undersized 5-man who doesn’t space the floor. His defensive upside and ability as a lob target, both of which were on display his freshman year in a losing context at Arizona State, will keep him in the top 20 conversation. NBA teams will look closely at his medical, and it remains to be seen how many of the questions he’ll be able to answer on the predraft circuit.

At one point, Quaintance was considered a top five selection, but mock drafts have started to drop him lower as it’s expected that there will be concerns about a knee that failed to heal in the normal timeframe.

Though he hasn’t officially declared for the draft yet, it’s expected to happen soon. Medical checks will be important for him, and there’s no denying his raw talent. If he can prove he’s healthy, he will still be a first round pick, possibly a lottery pick. If there are lingering issues, though, he could drop quite a bit.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball star Jayden Quaintance drops in draft rankings