What’s Jaland Lowe been up to? Catching up with Kentucky’s injured point guard
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- UK basketball guard Jaland Lowe is out for the season due to several shoulder injuries.
- Lowe played in nine games for the Wildcats this season after transferring from Pittsburgh.
- Lowe spoke about his season at UK following Kentucky’s SEC Tournament win over Missouri.
Following Kentucky basketball’s second-round SEC Tournament win over Missouri on Thursday afternoon in Nashville, Tennessee, junior guard Jaland Lowe was available to speak with reporters.
And the injured Wildcat had plenty to say from inside UK’s victorious locker room.
This was the first time in more than two months that Lowe spoke to the media. His first UK season has been marred by a series of right shoulder injuries. The first occurred during Kentucky’s annual Blue-White Game in October. The most recent came during UK’s home game against Mississippi State on Jan. 10.
Shortly after that setback against the Bulldogs, UK coach Mark Pope announced Lowe would undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
All told, Lowe played in just nine games this season.
“It got to a point where it was just like, ‘Yeah, let’s just protect our health, protect our future and do what’s best for us and our future, and not do anything that jeopardizes that,’” Lowe said of opting for shoulder surgery.
Still, Lowe gave it his all to try and play.
“It was, of course, a lot mentally, but physically. After hurting it, you probably can’t do anything — at least for the first two, maybe three days — but ice. I would go in every single day. I’d have to do a lot, man,” Lowe said. “Just rehabbing it a lot. But then getting ready for practice. I’ve got to make sure I carve out an hour before practice to just focus on my shoulder. No basketball, no lifting.”
Lowe said the shoulder injuries changed the way he played.
“I had to protect myself a lot. I couldn’t do a lot out there that I really wanted to do,” Lowe said. “I couldn’t play defense how I wanted. Couldn’t play offense how I wanted. Just got to put myself in positions, just for my safety.”
So, what’s Lowe been up to since he was ruled out?
The Pitt transfer said he’s been trying to stay in shape, working out and lifting weights as permitted. Lowe is targeting June or July for a return to basketball activities with contact.
In the interim, Lowe, who is no longer using a shoulder sling, is simply trying to be there for his teammates.
“I’m the energy guy,” Lowe said. “I’m there for my guys when they need it. Just give them a little input when they need it. But I’m just here supporting my guys.”
This extended time away from basketball is new for Lowe. He said this was the longest he’s gone without playing in games since middle school.
“It’s just cool to be a part of just seeing the game from a different point of view for this amount of time, just knowing that I’m not going to get back on the basketball court,” Lowe said. “It makes you see the game a little bit different now. Just having a different eye on things, a little bit of coaching perspectives. Just really dialing in on the details that we do now, little details that help us win.”
There’s a push-pull dynamic that comes with offering advice from the bench. Over the past few months, Lowe has dialed in how and when to deliver advice to his teammates.
“I don’t want to speak too much to these guys all the time, just let them do their own thing. Let them figure out sometimes,” Lowe said. “But I mean, at this point in the year, these guys know that whenever they need anything, they might just come tap me, ask what (I) see on the court.”
This example played out Wednesday. Lowe said reserve big Brandon Garrison sought advice from him during UK’s first-round SEC Tournament win over LSU. Garrison tallied 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals in that win.
“Guys just ask me questions every now and then,” Lowe said. “I’ll do my best to give some decent advice.”
Jaland Lowe observes UK basketball season from sideline
Lowe’s seen a lot from the sideline. He’s watched a topsy-turvy Kentucky basketball season play out up close, including the development of a new floor general.
Senior guard Denzel Aberdeen arrived this offseason to be the 2 guard, but he shifted to point guard for good once Lowe was ruled out. While it may have taken a while, Aberdeen has rounded into form as a distributor.
Over the past nine games, Aberdeen has totaled 42 assists against just seven turnovers. In Thursday’s SEC Tournament win over Missouri, Aberdeen had seven assists and only one giveway, along with 16 points and two steals.
“I want to say this. I think that might be the hardest thing to do. I think I give Denzel the most credit out of everybody, because he’s a person that has never really played the point guard position,” Lowe said. “For him to be a combo guard, and now have to take that lead role is amazing to see. People don’t understand how hard that is.”
How does Lowe contrast his point guard play with Aberdeen’s?
“That’s been my position my entire life. So I’ve grown around that and learned that every day,” Lowe explained. “He’s a little bit different. He’s been taught to score at a very high level, which he does amazingly. But now he’s incorporating passing and running the team even more now.”
The way this Kentucky season has played out, Lowe has been able to draw inspiration from the injury recovery process of a teammate.
Sophomore wing Kam Williams was out for seven weeks after suffering a broken foot Jan. 21. On Wednesday, Williams made his return during the SEC Tournament.
In expressing gratitude for Williams’ determination, Lowe explained the challenges an athlete faces when they race toward recovery.
“Am I going to come back? Am I going to be like how it was before? Or am I good enough to just even get out on that court right now? And trying to protect your health at all costs. All that goes through your head every single day, no matter what,” Lowe said. “It’s just a lot of credit to guys who come back from injury a lot of the time, especially (Williams). I’m super proud of him.”
Lowe — who is far enough in his recovery to travel to games and to sit on the UK bench — has been able to apply some principles from Williams’ recovery to his own.
Still, Lowe won’t be playing college basketball again until the 2026-27 season. And this raises the inevitable question of where Lowe will be playing next season.
On Thursday afternoon, Lowe said the plan is for him to return to Kentucky for the 2026-27 season.
“I don’t think about leaving the team or leaving the coaching staff. I’m really here right now, present with these guys,” Lowe said. “But, I mean, my plan has always just been to come back. If that happens, that happens, and I’d be happy with that.”
Wherever he is, Lowe will have plenty to take away from his injured spell and incorporate into his game.
“I observe all the little details in the game. How certain possessions go that other teams like to run a lot, even how our players react to some stuff,” Lowe said. “Being on the court and sometimes being so engaged, even on the bench as a player, you don’t really pay attention to everything. But now, knowing that you’re not going to play, you can really look around at everything.”
The hopeful outcome? That Lowe will be a better point guard in the future.
“I feel like I’m gonna be able to just run a team a lot better,” Lowe said. “Just think the game a lot better.”
