Mark Pope says Jayden Quaintance is doing 2-on-2 drills, no timetable for Mo Dioubate's return

Jayden Quaintance is inching closer and closer to making his Wildcat debut.

After a feel-good win at home on Tuesday for Kentucky, coming off a miserable loss in New York City, head coach Mark Pope finished his postgame radio show with Tom Leach by teasing the Big Blue Nation with some optimistic news regarding the potential NBA lottery pick sitting on his bench.

“He’s making real progress,” Pope told Leach about Quaintance’s ACL rehab. “Now we have him up to — I think I’m allowed to say this, cause I’m the head coach, I can say whatever I want, but so he was actually in two-on-two live drills versus scout team yesterday for the first time ever, and I almost had a heart attack cause I thought he just snuck into the drill. I was like B-Wells (trainer Brandon Wells)! But he was like nope, he’s cleared to do it. So he’s making terrific, terrific progress.”

This is just more good news regarding Quaintance’s injury from Pope. The sophomore big man has been ahead of schedule with his rehab process, and now he’s playing live-action basketball against real people.

It was earlier this month that Quaintance was participating in 5-on-0 situations during practice. Pope said at the time (Nov. 6) that Quaintance had a “really important strength test” coming up three weeks from then — we’re now less than a week away from him taking it. Pope added that it will be among the last tests Quaintance goes through before he ideally begins the full process of ramping up to play in actual games.

Pope won’t put a date on Quaintance’s debut as a Kentucky Wildcat, but we continue to hear good news regarding the Arizona State transfer’s recovery.

Pope unsure on Mo Dioubate’s return

As for another injured Wildcat, junior forward Mo Dioubate, Pope isn’t sure right now when the Alabama transfer will make his way back to the hardwood.

Dioubate suffered an ankle injury late in the loss to Michigan State on Tuesday and did not play against Loyola (MD) on Friday. He was replaced in the starting lineup by sophomore Kam Williams, who had his breakout performance as a result, posting 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 26 minutes.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure how soon it will be,” Pope said of Dioubate. “It was a pretty nasty sprain. But I do know he’s tough as nails, so I expect him to be back sooner than most mortals would be able to get back.”

Dioubate has been productive on both ends of the floor for Kentucky in his five games played, averaging 11.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per contest on 62.2 percent shooting. We’ll have to wait a bit longer to know if he’ll suit up when the ‘Cats take the floor again on Wednesday against Tennessee Tech.

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