Kentucky has one of the best centers in college basketball sitting on the bench, just waiting to be thrown into the fire once cleared from injury. Jayden Quaintance, a sophomore transfer from Arizona State, has been named to the preseason watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday.
He’s one of 20 players listed as candidates for the prestigious Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, recognizing the top center in college basketball annually since its inception in 2015. National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe was the recipient of the honor in 2022.