Film Room: Jaland Lowe
Coach Mark Pope has landed Kentucky’s next starting point guard. On Saturday, Pittsburgh transfer Jaland Lowe announced his commitment to the Wildcats. Donovan Dent was an early name that Big Blue Nation got excited about. However, UCLA ultimately landed the Riverside, California native. After “missing” on Dent, the ‘Cats were not going to let another high-level playmaker slip through their grasp. Lowe was a Third Team All-ACC selection as a sophomore averaging 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He was a very high-usage point guard for a team that did not have a whole lot of offense aside from what Lowe could create himself. Now, in a Kentucky uniform, he will have his strengths highlighted and weaknesses hidden in a much more wide open offensive system.
Lowe shot just 26.6% from three-point range last season at Pittsburgh. That will be the biggest worry for most Kentucky fans when it comes to how he translates to Lexington. However, there are a few indicators that provide some optimism for improvement on that front. First off all, he is an elite free throw shooter. Lowe shot 147-166 (88.6%) from the free throw line as a sophomore. That is an excellent percentage on high volume. Secondly, on lower three-point shooting volume as a sophomore, Lowe was 31-88 (35.2%) from deep. He simply won’t be asked to shoot 154 three-point shots like he did last season. Finally, his form doesn’t show any clear signs of a systematic breakdown. There is reason to believe he can settle in at 33%-37% and make at least 30-40 three-point shots next season.
As always, we’ve been hard at work in the KSR Film Room breaking down the game of Kentucky’s latest commitment. Lowe will give the Wildcats a playmaking pop that they simply did not have this past season. He is more athletic, more explosive, and more creative with the ball in his hands than anyone on the 2024-2025 roster. The three-point shooting numbers are certainly worth addressing, but the downhill playmaking and shot-creation will be a welcomed addition to Coach Pope’s offensive system. Lowe has also proven to be a disruptive defender and will provide some real unrest at the point of attack similar to what Lamont Butler brought to the table. Ultimately, he is proven high-major contributor with future pro upside. Let’s dive into the film room and take a closer look at how Jaland Lowe will translate to becoming Kentucky’s next PG1.
Dynamic Playmaking Ability
Above all else, Jaland Lowe is a truly dynamic playmaker. He an explosive burst that Kentucky simply did not have on Coach Pope’s first roster. Pittsburgh ran a ton of ballscreens and Lowe’s ability to consistently draw multiple defenders, despite not being a high-level shooting threat, was very impressive. He is so shifty with the ball in tight windows and then slippery as he attacks downhill. Lowe will consistently get paint touches, attract help defense, and make great reads from those advantageous positions. The quick processing ability from a live dribble really stands out on film. Whether it comes in the form of high ballscreens, one-on-one isolation, or turning the corner from Zoom Action it is easy to imagine Lowe’s playmaking ability really being accentuated in a Kentucky uniform.
Lowe does such a great job of attracting multiple defenders despite not being a great three-point shooter. It appears that Florida State is just going to switch the ballscreen in this clip, but when Lowe probes downhill to his right a secondary defender steps up to stop him. That move left the roll man wide open and Lowe found him for a layup. Some players put pressure on the defense by stretching the floor as a shooter. However, you can also put pressure on the defense by being explosive getting downhill towards the rim. Lowe attracts plenty of attention despite his shooting numbers.
The quickness that Jaland Lowe possesses with the ball in his hands really stretches the defense east and west. Coming off of the little Miami handoff, Lowe gets wide to pull both his on-ball defender, along with the secondary defender, with him towards the wing. Taking that angle and pulling the defense towards the sideline opened up the lob on the roll. Lowe has a great understanding of offensive spacing which will really fit well in Coach Pope’s system.
It can be hard to teach the processing, vision, and passing ability that it requires to be really effective in pick-and-roll situations. However, Jaland Lowe comes to Kentucky with those skills already loaded. Whether he needs to get it out quick on the short roll, or hold it for another dribble to read the tag, Lowe can make all of the plays off of the bounce.
Lowe does a great job of consistently beating his man and then keeping him on his hip. You can see in this clip how he gets back in towards the elbow to keep his defender behind him. That then forces the secondary defender to step up to help which leaves Lowe a window for a pass to the roll man for a dunk. Those little nuances and skills are what make Lowe such a special creator off of ballscreens.
Finishing in the Paint
Kentucky was inconsistent, at best, when it came to finishing at the rim this past season. Admittedly, on the surface, Jaland Lowe won’t necessarily improve on that weakness. He was just 43.4% from two-point range last season and wasn’t overly efficient at the rim. However, again, those numbers are in the context of extremely high usage. He shouldn’t be asked to do nearly as much one-on-one playmaking at Kentucky as he was asked to do at Pittsburgh. The athleticism, explosiveness, and creativity offers some reasons for optimism when it comes to what Lowe can be as a scorer in the paint. Some of the flashes on film are pretty impressive.
This is the perfect clip to showcase what Jaland Lowe will bring to the table for Kentucky next season. There was nobody on the 2024-2025 Wildcats’ roster who was capable of making a play like this. Lowe is so shifty with the ball and then slippery when getting into the paint. His ability to shake up his primary defender and then slice back towards the middle floor for a layup is what made him an All-ACC performer.
You could certainly argue that opposing defenses shouldn’t be guarding Lowe out at the half court circle. However, defenses do a bad job all of the time. Once again, you see Lowe beat his man and then slice back in front to keep him on his hip. Then, he explodes downhill and beats the secondary defender for a tough And-1 finish.
This clip really highlights his straight line quickness. Even when attacking to his right hand, Lowe has shown the explosiveness necessary to get all of the way to the rim. He also has the athleticism to finish the And-1 through contact. Lowe will likely be a player who makes some bad decisions and tries to do too much from time to time, but he will also make a lot of spectacular plays. Hopefully, playing within Coach Pope’s offense system will highlight the strengths while masking, or at least limiting, the weaknesses.
There will certainly be times where he blows the layup as well, but we simply didn’t see finishes like this at Kentucky this past season. Lowe gets downhill so quickly at the point of attack and then took off from the ACC logo before changing hands in mid-air to finish between two rim protectors. Kentucky will be more athletic with Jaland Lowe in the backcourt.
Addressing the Shooting Concerns
As mentioned in the introduction to this film breakdown, the three-point shooting numbers stick out like a sore thumb. There is no denying that 26.6% won’t get the job done. However, there definitely are reasons for optimism when it comes to improvement. We already mentioned that he has outstanding free throw shooting numbers, he won’t be asked to take as many tough shots, and the form appears to be in good working order. Additionally, the sheer volume of makes already is in an intriguing place for Lowe. Coach Pope talked a lot about shooting 30+ three-point shots per game last season. However, that happened just five times in 36 games. Kentucky went 5-0 in those games. Lowe can at least get them off at any time which is a luxury for late clock situations.
There were times when the question of “who can get Kentucky a bucket” became a real issue this past season. Jaland Lowe isn’t necessarily the perfect answer to that question, but he will at least get you a shot anytime you need one. Asking a 26.6% three-point shooter to launch step backs likely won’t win you a championship, but it is something that can come in handy in certain situations. At the end of the day Lowe still made 41 three-point shots in 31 games. That isn’t something that opposing defenses can completely ignore.
Lowe has a pretty smooth shot off of the dribble. Again, this is why there is some room for real optimism when it comes to improving from the ugly 26.6% mark. In this clip he turns the corner against the hard hedge and pulls up from deep as his primary defender is playing back towards the arc. This does not look like a shot from a 26.6% three-point shooter.
It doesn’t take much imagination to take this clip from Pittsburgh to Kentucky. Here you see Lowe come off of Zoom Action, North Carolina switches both the downscreen and the ballscreen, and Lowe then exploits the mismatch as the Tar Heel’s big man didn’t get out to break his rhythm beyond the arc.
Here is another shot that easily translates to Kentucky. Pittsburgh brings Lowe off of a little screen-the-screener action and he buries the catch-and-shoot threat off of the downscreen. Murray State elected to switch the downscreen, but they couldn’t get out in time to take Lowe away. His footwork is smooth and the release is pure enough that you would suspect he can make shots like this at a higher percentage.
Jaland Lowe may not have been a high percentage shot maker as a sophomore at Pittsburgh, but he was still a guy that defenses had to respect. Here you see him playing off of the ball and being used in Floppy Action. Louisville got caught in a long closeout, Lowe relocated with one dribble, and knocked down the shot. If he can just make the open ones and keep the defense honest it will make him incredibly dangerous in a Kentucky uniform.
Defensive Disruptiveness
It isn’t fair to expect Jaland Lowe to be as good of a defender as Lamont Butler at the point guard position. However, he will at least offer some havoc-creation both on and off of the ball. Lowe posted a 3.0% steal rate at Pittsburg as a sophomore. For context, Butler’s was 3.3% this past season at Kentucky. The same quick-twitch abilities that carry Lowe on the offensive end lead to his ability to be disruptive defensively. Here are a couple of clips that give a glimpse into what Big Blue Nation can expect from him as a defender.
Lowe’s length, athleticism, and quickness serve him well on the defensive end of the floor. He seems to possess some solid instincts as well when it comes to reading the passer’s eyes and jumping the passing lanes. Here you see him quickly jump out and steal the pass to the corner. He came from being in towards the paint on the weak side but quickly tightened up as the ball was driven towards him. Those small details help create turnovers. Getting more athletic will help Kentucky get better defensively. They certainly checked that box with the addition of Jaland Lowe.
Quick feet and quick hands allow him to be a real pest on the ball. Lowe will be able to make opposing ball handlers uncomfortable and keep them from cleaning initiating offense. This is a great on-ball rip as the Virginia Tech ball handler started his spin move. Lowe then showcased his athleticism chasing the ball down and finishing the layup. He should be able to get Kentucky some similarly easy buckets next season.
Jaland Lowe Evaluation
Dynamic playmaking and explosive athleticism are the two traits that stand out when evaluating Jaland Lowe. He is excellent in ballscreen situations, has some real playmaking ability in isolation, and then can explode downhill to the rim in a hurry. Kentucky’s backcourt certainly got more athletic with this addition. Lowe may not have the shooting numbers from three-point range, but there is upside there as a high-volume scorer. His ability to create shots for himself and others off of the dribble though is most intriguing. He puts constant pressure on the defense with his ability to get into the paint. Lowe has proven he can contribute at a high-level as an All-ACC performer and should only get better playing in an offensive system much more tailored to accentuate his strengths. Few guards have his blend of dynamic playmaking and explosiveness.
The post Film Room: Jaland Lowe appeared first on On3.
