Jayden Quaintance, VJ Edgecombe begin Kentucky official visits Friday

With Kentucky men’s basketball hosting the first of two preseason exhibition games on Friday, the staff is bringing in a pair of five-star recruits to soak in the action.

Class of 2024 prospects Jayden Quaintance and VJ Edgecombe will take official visits to Kentucky beginning on Friday and continuing through Sunday. Quaintance was initially set to take his official visit last weekend, but the program’s annual Blue-White Game interfered with the timing. Instead, he’ll get the full treatment this weekend when he can sit courtside to watch the Wildcats in action. As for Edgecombe, he was a surprise addition for this weekend, with news leaking out regarding his official visit on Wednesday.

Both prospects are viewed among the nation’s best in the senior class. Quaintance, a 6-foot-10, 225-pound center, is ranked No. 8 overall in the 2024 class while Edgecombe, a a 6-foot-4, 180-pound shooting guard, comes in ranked No. 5 overall. Calipari has continued to mention over the last couple of weeks how excited he is about the next two recruiting classes. Quaintance and Edgecombe are certainly included in that mix.

“Kentucky is still Kentucky,” Calipari said Wednesday at Media Day. “Recruiting in the ’24 class? Really good. The ’25 class? Maybe better.”

Calipari currently has two 2024 prospects committed for the future in five-star point guard Boogie Fland and four-star center Somto Cyril. If all goes well this weekend, more help could be on the way.

Jayden Quaintance: Need To Know

Quaintance has been a key Kentucky target for head coach John Calipari even before he reclassed from 2025 to 2024 back in the summer. That note is especially important, considering it means Quaintance, who only recently turned 16, will have to spend at least two seasons at the college level before heading off the NBA. The Cleveland, OH product suits up for Word of God Christian Academy — the school that produced former Kentucky point guard John Wall.

So far, Quaintance has taken official visits to Ohio State (Sept. 8-10), Missouri (Sept. 22-24), South Florida (Sept. 29-Oct. 1), and Florida (Oct. 13-15). He’s also visited the G League. On3’s Jamie Shaw reported earlier this month that Quaintance’s trip to Kentucky will be his final official visit before he dives into decision mode.

Calipari has been locked in on Quaintance as one of his top 2024 targets. Quaintance took an unofficial visit to UK in June, which is when he earned his scholarship offer. Calipari then went and visited Quaintance in person last month. A week later, Calipari and assistant coach Chin Coleman paid him another in-person visit. Instead of coming to Lexington for Big Blue Madness — which brought in plenty of high-profile recruits — Quaintance will now be able to receive the “Blue Carpet” treatment from the UK staff this weekend.

On the floor, Quaintance is a physical big man who could make an impact at the college level right now due to his size alone, but there is more to him than just being a very large human. Here’s what Shaw wrote about Quaintance back in May:

“Jayden Quaintance is a strong and physical presence. He plays with a ferocity around the basket, hunting dunks every time he gets within 5 to 10 feet of the rim. He can push the break and has excellent court vision. Is very young for his grade. He is a good rebounder in and out of his area. He is quiet, but he plays with a toughness. He can slide his feet on defense, open his hips as he changes directions, and has natural timing with good length around the basket.”

Missouri and the G League are believed to be Kentucky’s top challengers for Quaintance at this stage. A decision could come once his senior high school begins. The early signing period begins Nov. 8. This is a recruit that Calipari will look to lock down before he leaves Lexington.

VJ Edgecombe: Need To Know

Edgecombe is a newer recruit on Kentucky’s radar, but one the staff is seriously hunting. On July 30, the Nassau, Bahamas native dropped a list of his top 10 schools, which did not include Kentucky. Instead, Florida, Baylor, Duke, Alabama, St. John’s, Miami (FL), Florida State, UConn, Michigan, and the G League all made the cut. Roughly a month and a half later, the Wildcats reached out with a scholarship.

Despite jumping in late with an offer, Kentucky has made a significant push in Edgecombe’s recruitment. The staff was already watching him closely throughout his junior season at Glen Head (NY) Long Island Lutheran and continued to monitor his play during grassroots action on the Adidas 3SSB circuit throughout the spring and into the summer. He went from relatively unknown to bonafide five-star in less than a year.

With that in mind, it’s no wonder Kentucky is making a strong push for the versatile guard. Here’s what On3’s Jamie Shaw wrote about Edgecombe’s game back in August:

“When watching VJ Edgecombe, it’s the feel for the game that really pops. He never seems to force any of the action, making the right play, the right pass, the right read. Edgecombe is an explosive athlete, which helps him in transition as well as on the defensive end. He is a good shooter and forms a good base with consistent release. The jumper can be somewhat of a set shot, and he is more comfortable off the catch than shooting (from three) off the bounce.

“He is very instinctive on the defensive end, shooting the passing lanes aggressively. He moves his feet well on defense, guarding on the ball. He has good length and quick hands. Good vision and processes the game well. He gets a lot done in an efficient manner, you like that moving forward—lots of natural instincts. Not afraid of the moment. Comfortable on the ball as a secondary initiator type. NIBC and New York State Player of the Year.”

Looking at the rest of Edgecombe’s recruitment, he’s taken official visits to the likes of Florida (Sept. 16-18), Baylor (Oct. 6-8) Michigan (Oct. 13-15), and Duke (Oct. 20-22). He’ll stop in Lexington this weekend for his UK official visit before closing out his travel schedule with Alabama (Nov. 3-5) and Florida State (Nov. 10-12). Of those six schools, five made his top 10 earlier this summer, with Kentucky being the only outlier. Shaw has recently reported that Edgecombe could drag out his recruitment until the late signing period in the spring. It’s not out of the question that he schedules more official visits, either.

Regardless, Kentucky sneaking in with an official visit is a significant development this late in his process.