Koby Brea and Amari Williams became Mark Pope‘s first-ever NBA Draft picks as a head coach earlier this summer, but they certainly won’t be the last. Over at Bleacher Report, NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Wasserman laid out his list of the top 50 prospects for next year’s 2026 NBA Draft. He included a couple of […]
Koby Brea and Amari Williams became Mark Pope‘s first-ever NBA Draft picks as a head coach earlier this summer, but they certainly won’t be the last.
Over at Bleacher Report, NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Wasserman laid out his list of the top 50 prospects for next year’s 2026 NBA Draft. He included a couple of current Kentucky Wildcats in his list, one even making the cut as a top-five prospect, but the other might not be who the Big Blue Nation would expect.
- 39th | Fr. Jasper Johnson (PG/SG)
- 4th | So. Jayden Quaintance (PF)
It’s no shock at all to see Quaintance checking in at No. 4, considering most mock drafts project him as a likely lottery pick next June. However, seeing Johnson’s name over someone such as Otega Oweh, an SEC Preseason Player of the Year candidate, is a bit more shocking. Regardless, there is legit NBA talent on Pope’s second Kentucky roster.
Quaintance checked in behind a trio of impressive incoming freshmen: BYU’s AJ Dybantsa (No. 3), Duke’s Cameron Boozer (No. 2), and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson (No. 1). Despite still recovering from an ACL tear he suffered during his lone season at Arizona State, the potential the 6-foot-9 forward flashed as a 17-year-old college freshman was more than enough to make up for the time he’s missed. His defensive impact is already among the best in college basketball.
“Quaintance would warrant lottery consideration in June even if he didn’t suit up at all for Kentucky,” Wasserman wrote. Luckily for UK fans, Pope fully expects Quaintance to be ready to play sooner rather than later.
The path to immediate success is much murkier for Johnson, though. Considered a top 25 high school recruit, the 6-foot-5 guard is a bit of a polarizing prospect among NBA circles. He has clear skills as a scorer, but lacks polish in other areas as a true freshman. Wasserman noted that even if Johnson isn’t making noise come the 2026 draft, there will still be plenty of interest by 2027.
“Jasper Johnson could enter the one-and-done conversation with his potent shotmaking and touch shots,” Wasserman said. “Depending on how he looks as a playmaker and if scouts question his 175-pound frame for a scoring guard, he may also have something to prove after his freshman season.”
If Johnson can look like a potential draft pick right away, Kentucky will be in good shape this season.
Category: Basketball
