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Kentucky coach Mark Pope has a dilemma.
His best defensive team is not filled with players who can score, and his best offensive team is not filled with players who can get stops on defense. Or at least right now, that is how it seems going into Tuesday night’s game against North Carolina in Rupp Arena.
Sporting News columnist Mike DeCourcy, who also works for the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports, knows that issue has been a factor in UK’s less-than-stellar start that has included losses to Louisville and Michigan State.
“I think that’s something that he has to cope with and be aware of, but I think that what’s interesting is that the team that you thought would be the best defensive team hasn’t been that yet. (Center)Brandon Garrison hasn’t been that player yet,” said DeCourcy on The Leach Report with Tom Leach.
“I thought coming in after last year, when he was a really good reserve specialist, shot blocker type that he was, he was going to progress into being an excellent defender as a full-time player, and that hasn’t happened yet. He was one of the guys that I noted last week against Michigan State, let his execution slip when the game got away.”
That slippage helped lead to freshman Malachi Moreno starting the last two games for Kentucky. Against Loyola (Md.) the freshman 7-footer had four blocks.
“Malachi played really well defensively, and I think in a way that’s good, though, because it will fuel more competition in practice. Now, Brandon knows that the competition (Jayden Quaintance) for minutes isn’t just sitting there waiting to be released from his post-surgery regimen.”
In the next game, he had six rebounds in the first five minutes against Tennessee Tech and finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists in only 25 minutes.
“Malachi is an interesting player, and when he has been on the court, the team has played better,” SEC Network analyst Dane Bradshaw said. “He may not always look pretty, but he is an effective player and has earned his spot in the rotation.”
Quaintance, a projected 2026 NBA lottery pick, was expected to be the main man in the middle. The 7-footer transferred from Arizona State, where he suffered a torn ACL and had surgery in March. Pope has not set a date for his return, but has recently indicated he’s making progress, which sophomore forward Andrija Jelavic also confirmed last week during his media session.
“He’s really patient and really into his recovery. He’s always the first guy in the treatment room, always the first guy in the gym, and in his eyes, I can see that he wants to be out there more than anything,” Jelavic said.
The Croatian described Quaintance as a “simple player” and meant that as a big-time compliment.
“When he sees the rim, he’s going to dunk that ball. And when he sees that ball on the defense, he’s going to block that ball,” Jelavic said. “That’s something we just really need right now. We need some simple, aggressive plays, especially at the defensive end.”
Especially from a guy who could also dominate the paint on the offensive end as well.
5 Responses
If JQ is going to be a lottery pick anyway, why play at all?
That is the question that needs to be answered NOW! JQ needs to play against North Carolina, even if it is only for 5 minutes in each half. He has a month to get up to speed for SEC play and will need every bit of it.
If he has already struck an under the table deal as a lottery pick, then why would he play at all? The team doing the deal under the table would say absolutely not! If this has happened, does Pope even know about it or is he being played by Quaintance?
This team still has work to do to be ready for SEC play in my opinion. North Carolina may show just how much work is left to do. Pope needs to identify who his 5 starters are going to be and start playing them 30 minutes a game. I would start JQ at the 4 spot even if he can only go 10 minutes; let the other pro…Jelavic…be the backup 4. Jelavic getting 30 minutes would bring his pro game out of him, even if his minutes get reduced some by SEC play. Start Moreno at the 5 with Garrison backing him up. As JQ is ready for more minutes, decide if they will come from Garrison's PT. Jelavic's PT or both.
I would start Johnson at the point with Aberdeen getting backup minutes at the 1, and 3 spots. Chandler would start at the 2, with Noah as the backup. Oweh starts at the 3 with Aberdeen being his backup.
That leaves Lowe, Dioubate, and Williams on the outside looking in. They would have to wait they turn for PT as would be dictated by injury or poor play by someone else. You can't run a 13 man rotation. It really should stop at 9. Will Pope be man enough to tell those 3 or 4 kids that they have to wait their turn? His decision will either let this team take off and be an SEC contender or else be a middle of the pack team.
JQ had surgery to repair a torn ACL in April 2025. Recovery time is generally 9-12 months. It is better to let him be fully recovered before taking the court, IMO, otherwise for UK and the young man.
I see your point Karen, but you would have thought that would have occurred to Pope also. He could have recruited another big or went after another big in the portal. If Pope takes the high road, we won't see JQ play in a Kentucky uniform. We have seen this movie before, haven't we?
Let's assume that JQ doesn't take the floor. Start Moreno with Garrison as the backup, start Jelavic with Dioubate as the backup, start Oweh with Aberdeen as the backup, start Chandler with Noah as the backup, start Johnson with Lowe as the backup. Williams would the single injury insurance policy. The starting 5 needs to start playing 25 minutes, barring foul trouble. The next 5 need to accept their role coming off the bench in reduced minutes. Pope needs to assign roles and forget about trying to keep everyone happy.
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