Lowe, like Otega Oweh, could see career-best efficiency numbers.
The Kentucky Wildcats were able to bring in numerous quality transfers last offseason, a hand that Mark Pope was dealt mainly due to being hired in right after the season ended without many commits sticking it out in Lexington.
This season, he’ll have the likes of five-star Jasper Johnson, who he recruited, and Malachi Moreno to get the Cats some of the most talented freshmen in the incoming class; however, Pope is still clearly interested in bringing in some of the best transfer portal players in the country.
Jaland Lowe, who is coming from Pittsburgh, is one of them, and he’ll be tasked with replacing the production of an efficient Lamont Butler and Otega Oweh backcourt. Under Pope, those two had career years in terms of efficiency.
Lowe hasn’t been an overly efficient guard, but that could change. The talent is undoubtedly there, and CBS Sports columnist Isaac Trotter sees a breakout season primed for Lowe.
Here’s an excerpt of what Trotter had to say.
“Pope should be able to play Lowe off the ball, where he can attack more long closeouts and put defenders in a bind. Pitt played slower. Kentucky plays lightning fast. That’s money in the bank for the menacing Lowe. Kentucky uses dribble-handoffs at one of the highest rates in the country. That’s also right up Lowe’s alley. He was one of the most efficient, high-volume drivers (1.053 points per possession on 95 opportunities) in college basketball last year. It’s not hard to envision Kentucky dialing up a ton of its patented “Chicago” action — a pindown into a dribble handoff — for Lowe to get to his left hand and start cookin’,” Trotter wrote.
Lowe averaged 16.8 points per game with Pittsburgh but shot just 37.6% from the field. As a freshman, he was at 38.8%. While he can shoot from deep, he averaged just 26.6% from downtown this past season.
Everyone knows the talent to play efficient basketball is there, and now it is Pope’s job to bring that out of Lowe. Trotter, like BBN, thinks he can.