From raw stats to refined efficiency, Pope sees a major leap coming that could shake up the SEC.
Kentucky head coach Mark Pope has Big Blue Nation buzzing after offering a glowing — and revealing — evaluation of transfer guard Jaland Lowe. Coming off a strong sophomore season at Pitt, Lowe now has the opportunity to thrive in a system designed to maximize his strengths.
“Jaland Lowe was elite in terms of raw stats — points, assists, everything else he did in the game was really good,” Pope said in an interview with KSR. “But he wasn’t a super efficient player last year. Part of it was because he had to do a lot.”
Lowe averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game, starting all 31 contests while logging over 35 minutes a night. He was the engine for the Panthers, often tasked with creating offense under pressure.
“It’s no takeaway from Pitt. Pitt’s a great program. They do a great job,” Pope added. “It’s just the situation he was in.”
One of Pope’s most eye-opening revelations? Lowe ranked in the 90th percentile nationally for taking shots that fell in the bottom 20% of shot quality — an indication that Lowe was often forced into tough looks, not because of poor decision-making, but because of the demands placed on him.
“He was trying to make the hardest plays in the game of basketball and make them over and over again,” Pope explained.
But the Wildcats coach believes that’s about to change — and in a big way. Pope compared Lowe’s potential evolution to that of former Kentucky guard Lamont Butler, who transformed his game with smarter decision-making and improved shot selection.
Pope emphasized that Lowe doesn’t need to change his skill set, just his mindset — a shift that could turn him into one of the most dangerous guards in the country.
“That kind of evolution can transform your entire game,” he said.
As Kentucky aims to return to national title contention, Mark Pope sees Jaland Lowe not just as a key addition — but possibly the X-factor who could help them get there.
