Sports
Kentucky’s Pope says Quaintance won’t sit out
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Nearly eight months after Jayden Quaintance tore his right ACL, Kentucky coach Mark Pope said Tuesday there is no chance the sophomore star will skip this season to rehab and prepare for the NBA.
The 6-foot-10 forward and Arizona State transfer is projected as the sixth pick in ESPN’s latest 2026 mock draft. Pope, a former NBA big man, said the team has been cautious with Quaintance’s rehab in part because of his future at the next level. But he also said he can’t imagine a scenario in which Quaintance won’t suit up for the Wildcats later this season.
“I’m not exactly sure how long of a wait it is, but I don’t think there is a chance we could keep him from playing this season,” Pope said at SEC media day. “He’s too talented. He’s worked too hard.”
Kentucky is ranked ninth in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll. Pope said the ranking made him happy because the team believes the program’s ninth national championship “is our future destiny.”
There was more good news Tuesday as Otega Oweh was named the SEC preseason player of the year, but Quaintance’s recovery could be the most important factor in the Wildcats’ pursuit of its ultimate goal.
Quaintance is a skilled big man and a physical force. During an exhibition against Duke last year, he arguably frustrated Wooden Award winner Cooper Flagg more than any other defender Flagg faced in the 2024-25 campaign. Quaintance scored 18 points in 26 minutes against Kansas State in his last game of the season before he suffered his injury.
According to teammates, Quaintance is eager to return, perhaps sooner rather than later if he’s allowed. Denzel Aberdeen, the Florida transfer who helped the Gators win the national title in April, said Quaintance has impressed his teammates with his work ethic.
“He’s working very hard to get back. He is always dribbling a basketball everywhere he goes,” Aberdeen said. “He’s been in and out of the treatment room doing what he has to do to get back, fast and quick. From 7 a.m., he doesn’t leave until about 6 or 7 p.m. He’s always happy and always cheering us on in practices, even though he knows he wants to get out there and compete. He’s going to be back real soon, and when he does, he’s going to be great.”
Pope would not say whether he had a definitive date for Quaintance (9.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG) to return this season, but he said staff members have been stunned by Quaintance’s progress in less than eight months. Pope expects him to be a major contributor to the program before he takes his talent to the next level.
“He is as unique an individual as I’ve ever had the privilege of recruiting, coaching — physically and mentally and emotionally,” Pope said. “So with him, he has been racing back to help at lightning speed. Right now, it’s remarkable what he’s doing. We’re all kind of shaking our heads like, ‘How is this humanly possible?’ He feels like he’s on the verge of being ready to go in. We’re just hitting the brakes full time right now to be sure because his future is going to be incredibly bright in this game.”
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has identified a host of athletic competitions it classifies as “major sporting events” — aside from soccer’s 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games — that athletes and coaches will be allowed to travel to the U.S. to take part in despite a broad visa ban on nearly 40 countries.
In a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates Wednesday, the State Department said athletes, coaches and support staff for the World Cup, the Olympics and events endorsed or run by a long list of collegiate and professional sporting leagues and associations would not be subject to the full and partial travel bans that apply to citizens of 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
However, the cable made clear that foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors planning to attend the same events would still be banned unless they qualify for another exemption.
“Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception,” it said.
President Donald Trump’s administration has issued a series of immigration and travel bans as well as other visa restrictions as part of ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners. At the same time, the administration has been looking to ensure that athletes, coaches and fans are able to attend major sporting events in the U.S.
Trump’s Dec. 16 proclamation banning the issuance of visas to the 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority had carved out an exception for athletes and staff competing in the World Cup, the Olympics and other major sporting events. It delegated a decision on which other sporting events would be covered to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Wednesday’s cable lists the events that are covered, including “all competitions and qualifying events” for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan-American Games, and Para Pan-American Games; events hosted, sanctioned or recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions hosted or endorsed by FIFA, soccer’s governing body, or its confederations.
The exemption also will cover official events and competitions hosted by the International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association as well as those hosted or endorsed by U.S. professional sports leagues such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, National Hockey League, Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship and All Elite Wrestling.
The cable said other events and leagues could be added to the list.
Of the 39 countries, a full travel ban applies to Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and people with Palestinian Authority-issued passports.
A partial ban is in place for citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump will return to the sidelines Monday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the College Football Playoff championship in Miami, where the Indiana Hoosiers will face the Miami Hurricanes.
Trump’s expected attendance was first reported by Axios.
President Donald Trump, right, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attend an NFL game between the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., Nov. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Monday’s appearance at the national championship game marks another high-profile outing for the president, who has attended several major sporting events during his second term.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
In April, Trump sat alongside UFC President Dana White outside the octagon for UFC 314 in Miami and again two months later at UFC 316 in New Jersey. He also attended several events in September, including the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York and a New York Yankees game on Sept. 11, 24 years after the 9/11 attacks.
President Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives on the first hole on the first day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters via Imagn Images)
TRUMP WARNS COLLEGE SPORTS ARE IN ‘BIG TROUBLE’ IN CRYPTIC POST
President Trump has taken a special interest in sports in his second term.
In December, he warned the current state of name, image and likeness (NIL) was not sustainable and could pose a threat to college athletics, especially sports outside of football. He has also made ensuring the fairness and safety in girls and women’s sports a top priority of his administration.
President Donald Trump attends the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Dec. 13, 2025. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Top-seeded Indiana, led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, will take on Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, Monday at 7:45 p.m. ET.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
In the latest gambling scandal to rock sports, a federal indictment accuses bettors and athletes of “point-shaving” in NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games.
Source link
U.S. names sporting events athletes exempt from visa ban
Trump to attend College Football Playoff championship game in Miami with Rubio
Meta’s Layoffs Leave Supernatural Fitness Users in Mourning
-
Politics1 week agoUK says provided assistance in US-led tanker seizure
-
Entertainment1 week agoDoes new US food pyramid put too much steak on your plate?
-
Entertainment1 week agoWhy did Nick Reiner’s lawyer Alan Jackson withdraw from case?
-
Business1 week agoTrump moves to ban home purchases by institutional investors
-
Sports5 days agoClock is ticking for Frank at Spurs, with dwindling evidence he deserves extra time
-
Sports1 week agoPGA of America CEO steps down after one year to take care of mother and mother-in-law
-
Business1 week agoBulls dominate as KSE-100 breaks past 186,000 mark – SUCH TV
-
Sports6 days ago
Commanders go young, promote David Blough to be offensive coordinator