Latest news with #JaydenQuaintance
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kentucky Basketball Spending Big in NIL Era
Kentucky Basketball Spending Big in NIL Era originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In today's college basketball, talent wins games, but money, specifically NIL money, wins recruiting battles. And nobody is playing that game more aggressively than the Kentucky Wildcats. Advertisement Led by head coach Mark Pope, Kentucky is making headlines, not just for the talent it's acquiring but for the cash it's investing in that talent. At the center of it all, quite literally, is 6-foot-10 Jayden Quaintance, a teenage phenom with a $1.9 million NIL valuation who's quickly becoming the face of the Wildcats' new era. Mar 13, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope gives instructions to his team against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images© Steve Roberts-Imagn Images According to Fox Sports, Quaintance is the sixth-highest valued player in college basketball based on NIL earnings. He's also the youngest on the list, as he he won't turn 18 until later this July, making his financial standing all the more impressive. After a standout freshman season at Arizona State, where he earned Big 12 All-Defensive and All-Freshman honors, Quaintance hit the transfer portal. Kentucky, reportedly one of the top three NIL spenders in the nation, wasted no time locking him in. The big man now holds NIL deals with PSD Underwear and Panini America, brands that rarely throw endorsement money behind unproven prospects. But Quaintance isn't just any recruit. Jan 21, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils forward Jayden Quaintance (21) dunks the ball during the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images © Ben Queen-Imagn Images This is a calculated risk for Kentucky. Quaintance is currently rehabbing from an ACL tear but is expected to return early in the 2025–26 season. If healthy, he's projected to be a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Pope and the Wildcats are betting big on that upside, and paying accordingly. Advertisement But Quaintance isn't the only major investment. Kentucky's entire transfer class is drawing attention for the NIL dollars flowing into Lexington. Also, rumors continue to circulate that wing Otega Oweh, who withdrew from the NBA Draft and chose to return to Kentucky received a lucrative offer, though exact figures remain under wraps. It's clear Kentucky's strategy is shifting. They're no longer just betting on blue blood tradition and NBA pipelines, they're leveraging NIL capital to build a roster that can compete right now. For fans of the new NIL era, this is the drama they signed up for. Schools aren't just building programs, they're building brands. And few are doing it as boldly as Kentucky. As the 2025–26 season approaches, all eyes will be on Lexington. If Quaintance lives up to the hype, and the price tag, he could become the poster child of NIL success. For Kentucky, this could be the beginning of a new dynasty, funded by dollars and driven by dreams. Related: How NIL Spending Is Reshaping College Football's Competitive Landscape This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jayden Quaintance commits to Kentucky basketball: What to know about transfer portal addition
Jayden Quaintance commits to Kentucky basketball: What to know about transfer portal addition LEXINGTON — Jayden Quaintance will suit up for Kentucky basketball after all. A former UK signee who received a release following John Calipari's departure to Arkansas last year committed to new coach Mark Pope's program Tuesday as a transfer portal prospect. Advertisement Quaintance is the fourth player the Wildcats have plucked from the transfer portal since their 2024-25 season ended: Former Tulane wing Kam Williams committed March 28, ex-Pittsburgh guard Jaland Lowe joined Saturday and former Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate gave his pledge Monday. Jayden Quaintance highlights: Watch Kentucky basketball transfer portal commit This story will be updated. Reach Kentucky men's basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@ and follow him on X at @RyanABlack. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball: Jayden Quaintance added from transfer portal
New York Times
17-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What is the College Basketball Crown, and who's invited to the first one? Full bracket, details
There's a new postseason tournament in men's college basketball. The College Basketball Crown announced its inaugural 16-team field on Monday, comprised of teams that failed to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Crown, developed by Fox Sports as a rival to the longstanding NIT, will be hosted in Las Vegas from March 31 to April 6, with the championship played the day before the NCAA men's national championship. Here's the 16-team field, which features no specific seedings, listed in alphabetical order: And here's the bracket: The field is set. Two weeks from today it all goes down in Vegas. 16 teams. 1 crown. Tickets available via @vividseats now – — College Basketball Crown (@CBBCrown) March 17, 2025 Officially announced last April, the Crown is a collaboration between Fox Sports and AEG that features automatic bids from the Big 12, Big East and Big Ten conferences, all of which have television agreements with Fox. The three conferences each received two automatic bids, given to the top two teams that did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament and based on advanced metrics such as the NET. The other 10 bids are at-large spots chosen by the Crown's selection committee. Advertisement It's become a challenge in recent years to fill out the NIT and other non-NCAA Tournament postseason events as the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) have led to teams and individual players opting out of consolation tournaments. Last year, 17 programs passed on NIT invites, the most in the event's nearly 90-year history. The Crown, originally conceptualized as featuring only high-major programs, felt that same burden in year one. Seven leagues are represented in the inaugural field, including the American Athletic Conference and Atlantic 10. A number of power conference teams declined invitations, including some in line for automatic bids, such as Indiana, West Virginia and Ohio State, despite uncertainty regarding the contractual obligations of the six automatic bids. Rutgers, Kansas State, Penn State, Wake Forest and TCU also declined possible at-large invites. Participation questions could still linger. The transfer portal window for men's basketball opens on March 24, a week before the Crown tips off. A source familiar with the tournament's stipulations for participating teams told The Athletic that rosters would need a minimum of seven scholarship players available. But it's possible teams that accepted invites could struggle to meet the minimum by the time the tournament begins. It's unclear if there are alternate programs on standby. The first thread worth following is whether any teams have to drop out. Beyond that, Nebraska versus Arizona State features a Cornhuskers team that collapsed down the stretch in the Big Ten but is solid defensively, against an Arizona State squad that had some intriguing individual pieces this season in senior guard BJ Freeman and freshman big man Jayden Quaintance. Villanova, which recently moved on from head coach Kyle Neptune, features the top scorer in college basketball in Eric Dixon (23 points per game). Boise State senior forward Tyson Degenhart is a first-team all-Mountain West honoree and one of the best all-around players in this tournament. Advertisement Cincinnati started the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll with real NCAA Tournament expectations. Those didn't materialize during Big 12 play, but there's talent to make a run in Vegas if enough of the roster stays together. The tournament covers a team's cost of flights, local transportation, hotel, per diem and practice time for the traveling party. There will be an NIL component to the Crown as well, though sources familiar with the tournament said those details were still being worked out. Unlike the NIT, there are no early-round games played at home sites. The first two rounds will be played at the MGM Grand Garden Arena from March 31 to April 3, airing on FS1. The semifinals and finals will be at T-Mobile Arena on April 5 and 6, airing on Fox, with the championship tipping off at 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 6, the same day as the NCAA women's national championship.
Associated Press
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Kansas State Wildcats take on the Arizona State Sun Devils in Big 12 Tournament
Kansas City, Missouri; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Wildcats -5.5; over/under is 142.5 BOTTOM LINE: Kansas State plays in the Big 12 Tournament against Arizona State. The Wildcats have gone 9-11 against Big 12 opponents, with a 6-5 record in non-conference play. Kansas State is ninth in the Big 12 at limiting opponent scoring, allowing 69.7 points while holding opponents to 43.4% shooting. The Sun Devils are 4-16 against Big 12 teams. Arizona State has a 6-10 record in games decided by 10 or more points. Kansas State scores 71.3 points per game, 5.3 fewer points than the 76.6 Arizona State gives up. Arizona State averages 74.2 points per game, 4.5 more than the 69.7 Kansas State gives up. The teams play each other for the third time this season. Arizona State won the last matchup 66-54 on Feb. 23. Jayden Quaintance scored 18 to help lead Arizona State to the victory, and David N'Guessan scored 20 points for Kansas State. TOP PERFORMERS: Brendan Hausen is shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc with 2.8 made 3-pointers per game for the Wildcats, while averaging 11.2 points. N'Guessan is shooting 64.1% and averaging 15.7 points over the past 10 games. BJ Freeman averages 2.1 made 3-pointers per game for the Sun Devils, scoring 13.7 points while shooting 35.6% from beyond the arc. Alston Mason is averaging 16.6 points and 4.5 assists over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Wildcats: 5-5, averaging 66.5 points, 30.1 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 7.2 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 41.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.1 points per game. Sun Devils: 1-9, averaging 76.1 points, 25.4 rebounds, 11.9 assists, 5.6 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 86.4 points. ___
USA Today
24-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
BYU at Arizona State odds, tips and betting trends
The Arizona State Sun Devils (13-14, 4-12 Big 12) will look to stop a seven-game home losing streak when they take on the BYU Cougars (19-8, 10-6 Big 12) on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at Desert Financial Arena. The matchup airs at 9:30 PM ET on ESPN+. Below, we analyze the Arizona State vs. BYU odds and lines ahead of this matchup. The meeting between the Sun Devils and the Cougars currently does not have a line set. Arizona State has put together a 14-11-1 record against the spread this season, while BYU is 15-11-0. The Sun Devils are 13-13-0 and the Cougars are 15-11-0 in terms of going over the point total. Arizona State is 4-6 against the spread and 3-7 overall over its last 10 contests, while BYU has gone 8-2 against the spread and 8-2 overall. Ahead of watching this matchup, here is what you need to know about Wednesday's college hoops action. Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll Arizona State vs. BYU prediction BYU 75, Arizona State 73 Against the spread Arizona State has covered 14 times in 26 games with a spread this season. BYU has put together a 15-11-0 ATS record so far this year. The Sun Devils record 73.7 points per game, just 4.2 more points than the 69.5 the Cougars give up. When Arizona State totals more than 69.5 points, it is 10-6 against the spread and 9-7 overall. BYU has a 12-5 record against the spread and a 15-3 record overall when giving up fewer than 73.7 points. The Cougars put up 7.2 more points per game (80.8) than the Sun Devils allow their opponents to score (73.6). BYU has put together a 12-5 ATS record and a 16-2 overall record in games it scores more than 73.6 points. Arizona State has an ATS record of 11-6-1 and an 11-8 record overall when its opponents score fewer than 80.8 points. Players to watch Arizona State Jayden Quaintance posts a team-best 7.9 rebounds per contest. He is also putting up 9.4 points and 1.5 assists, shooting 52.5% from the field. Basheer Jihad puts up 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Defensively, he posts 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocked shots. Alston Mason averages a team-best 4.0 assists per contest. He is also posting 12.6 points and 2.6 rebounds, shooting 43.1% from the field and 38.0% from downtown with 1.7 made 3-pointers per contest. BYU
