Kentucky head coach Mark Pope just gave the update Big Blue Nation has been waiting for — and it’s all good news for freshman point guard Jaland Lowe.
Speaking Wednesday ahead of Kentucky’s final exhibition matchup against Georgetown, Pope revealed that Lowe has returned to limited practice participation after suffering a shoulder injury during the Blue-White Game earlier this month. While he won’t suit up for Thursday’s contest, Lowe is moving quickly in the right direction.
“J-Lowe is gonna be in a little bit of practice today,” Pope said. “A little bit of non-contact practice. We’re being really careful so he can be fully healthy when we start the season.”
Lowe was seen at practice wearing a brace on his right shoulder but going through shooting drills — a promising sign that the standout guard is close to returning to full contact.
The preseason All-SEC Third Team selection missed last week’s 78–65 blowout win over No. 1 Purdue, but Kentucky hardly missed a beat. Denzel Aberdeen, Jasper Johnson, and other young guards stepped up to run the show, proving the team’s depth at the position.
Even so, Pope made it clear that Lowe’s recovery remains a priority.
“(Lowe’s) recovery has been epically fast. He’s feeling really good,” Pope said last week. “He was back shooting full speed. We’ll probably keep him out of live contact for at least another week, just to make sure. He’s a massively important part of this season, so we want to make sure he’s healthy.”
The Wildcats will close out their preseason Thursday night against Georgetown (7:00 p.m. ET | SEC Network+), before officially tipping off the 2025–26 season on Tuesday against Nicholls.
With just days to go before the opener, Pope’s words have given Kentucky fans every reason to believe their floor general will be ready when it counts. Lowe may not be back in game action yet — but his comeback is clearly on the horizon, and that’s exactly what Big Blue Nation was hoping to hear.
