5-star Forward Jayden Quiantence visits Mizzou on September 21st

A big visit from a big visitor.

• By
  
  Sam Snelling
  
• on August 20, 2023 6:30 am

And we were just talking about how Dennis Gates has changed the dynamics of Mizzou Basketball recruiting…

While much of the focus following the commitment from Peyton Marshall has been on Arkansas guard Annor Boateng, there was this mystique of Jayden Quaintance hanging out in the ethos after the 5-star forward reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class and named Missouri has a school he’d like to visit.

Since that time we’ve treaded lightly when it comes to the seriousness of the courtship of Quaintance. Players can say they want to visit a school, but listing a school as a place you’d like to see and hitting campus are sometimes two different things.

But then our friend @247HSHoops on X / Twitter supplied this nugget yesterday:

With Quaintance, the list of suitors is short but stiff. Kentucky, Ohio State, Cincinnati, and the G League. He’s also mentioned Washington and Arkansas, and He’s a Cleveland, Ohio native whose father played at Kent State and his mother’s brother was an NFL Tight End, at least according to TheAthletic.com ‘s Kyle Tucker. Another interesting note if you follow the link of his father Haminn’s time at Kent State, you might notice it coincided with Armon Gates. Yes Dennis Gates brother.

Gates proximity to Cleveland during some impressionable years for young Jayden coupled with a little family history is what gets them on the list. But will it be enough to overcome the proximity of Cincinnati and Ohio State? Or the lure of Kentucky? Or the ability of the G-League to offer around the clock attention to development.

Quaintance just turned 16 years old. So he would be hitting campus at 17. He would also not be eligible for the NBA Draft after his freshman season. So where ever he lands, he’ll likely be there for two seasons.

Per 247sports.com Quaintance is the 12th ranked player in the 2024 class even after reclassification. He’s 6’9 and 220 lbs and is really strong around the rim. He handles the ball well enough, and I think he has shades of a player like Chris Webber. A potentially dominant college player and an easy NBA lottery pick. So just the kind of guy you want to add to your team.

Getting Quaintance on campus is the first step here. And obviously there are no guarantees you can get him to sign. But getting him on campus gets you a shot. And if there’s one thing Dennis Gates has shown us so far is that he can change the dynamics of Mizzou Basketball Recruiting.

Read more