Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is feeling confident about his frontcourt depth heading into the season, even as standout sophomore Jayden Quaintance continues to recover from his ACL injury. Speaking at
SEC Media Day on Tuesday, Pope gave an encouraging update on the 18-year-old forward’s progress while also praising the growth of Brandon Garrison and freshman Malachi Moreno.
“He is racing back to health at light speed. It is remarkable,” Pope said of Quaintance. “He feels like he is on the verge of being ready to go, but we’re just hitting the brakes full-time to make sure.”
Quaintance, who recently just turned 18 after playing his freshman season at Arizona State, will be one of the youngest players in college basketball, but will remain a key piece of Pope’s long-term plans. As Kentucky eases him back, it’s Garrison and Moreno who have taken center stage during fall practices.
“They love each other right now because they are pushing each other so hard,” Pope said of Garrison and Moreno. “It’s a fist fight every day, and they’re both getting better because of it.”
Pope added that both big men have capitalized on the extra minutes in practice and scrimmages.
“They’re making the most of every opportunity,” Pope said. “In our most recent scrimmage, Brandon Garrison was incredible. Malachi Moreno has been outstanding, shooting in the 80% range during live five-on-five play.”
With Quaintance expected to be back no later than January and Garrison and Moreno emerging quickly, Kentucky’s frontcourt appears to be in strong hands heading into the season.
