He may be out for a while after aggravating the same shoulder injury.
By Drew Holbrook | 44 minutes ago
When Jaland Lowe transferred to Kentucky, fans couldn’t wait to see how the talented point guard would elevate Mark Pope’s new-era offense. But the excitement turned to concern the moment he hit the floor in the Blue-White Game clutching his shoulder. Kentucky breathed a sigh of relief when it was labeled “minor,” and Lowe quickly returned to play two games.
Now he’s hurt again.
And if this feels familiar… it’s because it is.
Kentucky lived this nightmare last season.
Two point guards carried the load in 2024–25 — Kerr Kriisa went down against Gonzaga with a foot injury, and Lamont Butler suffered a shoulder injury on January 14. He reinjured it in February. Then reinjured it again in March. He played through pain because Kentucky simply didn’t have a true backup.
And here we are again.
According to @JackPilgrimKSR, Lowe reinjured his shoulder in today’s practice. It was reportedly popped back into place — an alarming repeat of last year’s storyline.
A Preventable Roster-Building Problem
Kentucky added talent everywhere this offseason, but they left one glaring hole:
Jaland Lowe is the only pure point guard on the roster.
Denzel Aberdeen can run an offense, but he’s naturally an off-guard.
So are Collin Chandler and Jasper Johnson.
Which means once again, everything depended on Lowe.
And now the lone floor general is sidelined. Again.
The Warning Signs Were There
After what happened to Butler last year, you’d expect Kentucky to take every possible precaution with shoulder injuries. But Lowe returned on a normal timetable — and he wore the same style brace Butler wore when he quickly reinjured his shoulder.
That brace wasn’t protection.
It was a warning.
A warning Mark Pope needed to take seriously.
A warning the training staff should have treated as a red flag.
A warning Kentucky ignored.
Lowe likely should not have been playing yet. And now, just like Butler, he’s reinjured the same shoulder.
Two years.
Two point guards.
Two re-aggravated shoulder injuries.
Something in the process has to change.
Kentucky Had Time — and They Didn’t Use It
This is perhaps the most frustrating part.
The schedule is full of winnable games.
Kentucky could have used this stretch to develop on-ball reps for Aberdeen or Chandler. Lowe could’ve had weeks — maybe months — to fully recover.
Instead, he played.
And now Kentucky is right back where they were last season.
