Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats coaching staff have been among the most active teams in the NCAA transfer portal this spring. Following the departure of John Calipari in 2024, Pope returned to his alma mater with a clear mission — to restore the Wildcats to prominence and lead them deep into the NCAA Tournament.
One of the standout additions from the transfer portal is Jaland Lowe, a 6-foot-3 point guard from Missouri City, Texas. Lowe spent two seasons at Pittsburgh under Jeff Capel, where he became a vital contributor to the Panthers.
In 2025, Lowe earned third-team All-ACC honors after averaging 16.8 points and 5.5 assists per game as a sophomore. However, his individual success didn’t translate into team success for Pittsburgh, which finished with a 17-15 record and 8-12 in ACC play. Lowe decided to enter the portal, ultimately selecting Kentucky as his next destination.
This week, the Wildcats received surprising news — Lowe announced he would be entering the NBA draft. Under NCAA regulations, he can still maintain his eligibility and could potentially play for Kentucky next season.
Jacob Polacheck of Kentucky Sports Radio spoke with Lowe’s family, and his father, Marland, shared their expectations: “The goal is for him to be a part of Kentucky basketball and to win the No. 9 championship.”
Kentucky has won eight national championships, with their most recent title coming in 2012.
Lowe started 50 of 64 games at Pitt and established himself as one of the ACC’s top backcourt players. If he does decide to suit up for Kentucky, he’ll join a strong group of transfer portal signings, including Kam Williams from Tulane and Mouhamed Dioubate from Alabama.
For Pope, entering his second season with the Wildcats, the goal is to lead the program to its first Final Four appearance since 2015. Kentucky finished 24-12 in the 2024-25 season and 10-8 in SEC play, advancing to the Sweet 16 before falling to conference rival Tennessee.
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