Vicky Graff Photo
Junior point guard Jaland Lowe has not played for Kentucky since he re-injured his shoulder in a win over Mississippi State Jan. 10.
It was at least the third time his right shoulder had been dislocated. He fell on his shoulder during summer practice but then dislocated it in a collision with teammate Otega Oweh during UK’s Blue White Game in October. He played against Valparaiso (Nov. 7) and Louisville (No. 11) but then did not play again until Dec. 5 against Gonzaga and he also played the next three games. He played again against Alabama (Jan. 3) and Missouri (Jan. 7) before his season ended when he got injured against Mississippi State.
“Physically he is fine. He has been doing rehab, he is shooting and he’s working out with his left arm. In another week or two he will be able to start doing regular basketball work with both his left and right hands,” Marland Lowe, Jaland’s father, said. “There’s just no contact until July.
“The injury was actually a little worse than they originally thought. The doctors said even though they did three MRI’s he could see how they did not see the full extent of the injury. The doctor said it was amazing he had even tried to play and showed us why it (the shoulder) kept coming out (of place).”
The point guard’s father said he “basically” has a new right shoulder and will “be fine if he does what he is supposed to do” the next few months.
Lowe averaged 16.8 points per game at Pittsburgh during his sophomore season when he shot 37.6 percent from the field and 26.6 percent from 3-point range. He also averaged about 5.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He averaged 8.0 points per game and shot 36 percent overall and 21 percent from 3.
“He really only had three good games — Indiana, St. John’s and Alabama — where you got to see what he could do and he was pretty efficient in all of those,” Marland Lowe said.
Against Indiana he played 24 minutes and had 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting along with two assists and one steal. Against St. John’s he was 5-for-7 from the field and had 13 points and three assists. In the loss at Alabama he scored 21 points on 8-for-16 shooting and two assists.
“If you could not see what he does when he is healthy and how he helps others you are more of a fan than a connoisseur of basketball,” Marland Lowe said.
The Kentucky junior indicated at the Southeastern Conference Tournament that his “plan” was to be back at Kentucky for another season. However, Marland Lowe is not sure if that is Kentucky’s “plan” for his son.
“We have not heard anything (about next year). Nothing,” Marland Lowe said. “That is what it is. I keep him out of a lot of things. I asked him if anyone mentioned about him coming back next year and he said, ‘No, sir,’” Marland Lowe said.
Marland Lowe understands the business of basketball. He’s the Southwest Director of Grassroots Basketball and is well known as being a major powerbroker on the AAU circuit in the Houston area. He realizes coaches try to get through a season without looking ahead or talking about the future.
“But I do know other people at other schools have already done things to get their players locked in,” Marland Lowe said. “My son’s mind is the same. This is where his feet are planted and he expects to be back there.
“I see it as they (UK coaches) are busy but at the same time recruiting does not stop. I see Pope might be like this is Kentucky and think they can always get something better.”
He also knows UK coaches could try to keep Jaland Lowe engaged until they secure another point guard and then let him know there is not a spot for him.
“Once you get to a certain date, we will have to move on. No one can sit back and say if Jaland puts his name in the (transfer) portal that this kid was not all-in with Kentucky. He is and if Kentucky has not stepped in and made him feel comfortable. When we move on (to the transfer portal), then that door (to stay at UK) will be totally closed.”
This weekend Jaland Lowe will be on the Kentucky bench doing what he can to help teammates hopefully win two NCAA Tournament games. He’s been mentoring teammates and offering advice during practices and games based on what he has seen.
“It is still his team and you have got to help everybody and talk to them and share how to do things. That’s just how we are,” Marland Lowe said. “He is still growing with his leadership but some of it just comes naturally to him. He just tries to help people understand where they are at but he would love to be playing.”
7 Responses
I’m for locking him up – he’s a great kid , understands the offense, has sacrificed his safekeeping showing he kept playing thru brutal pain . ( I have an artificial shoulder ).
I would definitely ask him to come back next year but with no promises on playing time or starting or none of that kind of talk. If I was Pope I would go after the best two point guards you can get in the portal. Then Lowe and the other two point guards would have to compete in practice for who plays and how much they play. Getting Lowe cost us our freshman Point guard from last year. He's doing incredible for Villanova as a freshman he's averaging almost 13 PPG and 4apg. If Lewis would have stayed committed and played this year he would have started every game. He's actually on the same level as Lowe but he's only a freshman and he will dominate next year. There is a lot of seniors on Villanova who shoot alot. Next year if he stays at Villanova he will be a 18-20 PPG 5-6apg type of guy. But this year we are one point guard away from being a much better team. Travis Perry if he wouldn't have left would have gotten 15-20 mpg this year. Basically the same thing he's getting at Ole Miss. I do believe next year that Hawthorne also shows why he should have played this year barring injury. I think we end up with 1-2 freshman 3-4 transfers. We won't need as many people next year. People tend to forget we only got 4 people back this year. Chandler, Oweh, Noah, and Garrison. Think about that. Noah and Garrison didn't play alot last year. I thought Garrison would be twice as good as he is right now, which would lead to a big senior year next year. I would take Garrison back as well for his senior year but he would have to promise me that he will stay in the gym even on his off days and work on his game. It's basketball your getting payed to play a game you love to play. He doesn't have to be a all conference type of guy. Just a 8-10ppg 7-8rpg type of guy. Moreno will be the star down low for Kentucky next year. If Jelly comes back he will be ready to help lead this team. He's older for a freshman just like Chandler. If Chandler would have came out of high school and went straight to college he would be a senior this year. He still has two years left and I'm hear to tell you his junior and senior years he will be a all conference type of player. We need to keep Chandler, Moreno, Jelly, Hawthorne, Potter, Noah, Mo, Williams, and Lowe for sure. Give BG a ultimatum. Work work work or go go go. That's the motto this summer for not just BG but the whole team. You have to want to get better or hit the road.
Surprised you are willing to take a chance on Garrison coming back! He has not done anything last 2 yrs except a game or two….willing to let him be a senior somewhere else.
He's the type of guy where if everything clicks he could dominate but that's the same thing I thought he would be this year. His numbers were better as a freshman than a junior which makes absolutely no sense to me. I think he would be better utilized on a team like san Diego state or Utah State. I think he would do much better at a lower level of basketball. Once a player sees that power 4 money to sit on the bench Alot of them can sit on the bench and make 500k. Guys like Noah Make upward of 500k-800k a year to sit on the end of Kentuckys bench. People said JQ didn't make almost 3 million to come to Kentucky. Which he did. If they offered Yaxel for Michigan 7-8 million I know guys like Aberdeen and Mo made a cool 1.5 Milly to come here. Mo and Aberdeen were in my doghouse all year long. I'm starting to like Mo but it seems like the more he plays the more we lose. When Mo wasn't playing hardly at all we were doing great. It seems like when everyone else is hitting there shots Mo shoots terrible. But if we cant score and need a lift there he is. He has the ugliest 3 pointer I've ever seen but the last couple of games he's been knocking down his shots. I do know we get off to a slow start almost every game. I would switch the starting lineup for tournament. If we can make it to the second weekend Williams should start hitting his stride. I actually broke my foot in 3 places and my ankle in 2 places and my shin. The foot was by far the worst of the 3. You have so many bones in your feet and one break can make a connector bone also off. I have a bone that's basically pushing against my skin where my pinky toe goes to my foot. It hurt to even stand in the shower. Doctors said i wouldn't walk for 6 months after 4-5 months I was supposed to be off crutches and in a boot. After having the cast on for 2 weeks I took it off . 2 weeks later I was walking. Not even 2 months after breaking it I was working a job standing for 10 hours a day. The third month I went to my appointment and my doctor was shocked I was walking no boot not crutches. Grounding is what healed my foot. It sounds crazy but walking in the grass barefoot and walking on the beach barefoot is what saved me. Do research on it. Its great for inflammation. Its great for electrons and neural damage and I guess broken bones.
Im for letting him go unless he wants a back up role..Mark Pope can't afford another year without a legitimate point guard.
Exactly!
SHOCKER…..Collins just picked USC…Pope is still O-fer! This is not UK BB.