Jaland Lowe: Taking the Reigns

Lowe plays a huge role in the Pitt offense, orchestrating a majority of possessions as one of the few true floor generals left in college hoops. Will this skillset translate to the NBA?

We all know about how great of a prospect Bub Carrington was coming out of Pitt. But, as he left the program, a lot more pressure was placed on Jaland Lowe, his backcourt mate. Lowe’s usage rate skyrocketed as more and more of the offense flowed through him, forcing him to transition from the third to the first option, as well as maintaining his ability to lead the offense. Now, with the program depending on him to get back to the NCAA Tournament, and with high pre-season rankings for the Panthers, Lowe had some high expectations and was looked at as a potential star in the making in the ACC. With a potential NBA future on the horizon, let’s look at his skills, strengths, and weaknesses.

Note: This article was written before he entered the transfer portal and committed to Kentucky. In my opinion, if he can work on his offensive efficiencies and try to get up to 40% from the field while maintaining the same usage rate, this will be a worthwhile move for Lowe. It’ll be a tall task, but Lowe has the ability to do it.

Lowe controls the ball against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half at Capital One Arena (Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images).

Basic Stats (2024-2025): 35.3 MPG, 16.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 2.9 TO, 37.7% FG%

PROS

• EXCELLENT passer+High IQ makes him one of the best floor generals in college basketball

  • Has some insane court vision, which allows him to make some great feeds when driving to the rim

  • Commands the court very well, directs traffic on both and displays a lot of intelligence and leadership

  • Puts this to use in the PNR effectively, in which he is used heavily (504 possessions in the PNR this year alone!!!!)

• Great wingspan for a guy of his size

  • Generates a lot of velocity on his passes using that length

  • Makes him a threat defensively, keeps his hands active to a high degree, allowing him to pickpocket almost anyone (1.8 SPG, 96th %tile)

  • Also uses it well when handling the ball, can use that length to protect that ball by putting it in places only he can get to, allowing him to dribble through traffic effectively and get to his spots

• Quick and twitchy

  • Can get downhill in an instant, starts transitions and fast breaks in an instant (81% Points per Possession + Assists Rank)

  • Uses the quickness well defensively, can keep up with almost any defensive assignment that he is given

  • Makes great reads on the move, particularly when attacking gaps in the defense.

• Crafty, uses both hands well when finishing, passing, or handling the ball.

  • His ambidexterity opens up the floor passing wise, as he can pass very well with both hands

  • It makes him a better, more crafty finisher, as it allows him to switch hands mid-air and still be as confident with the other hand, and the ability to finish with both hands will be something NBA scouts look for.

• Tight handle+great footwork

  • Like I said above, he can really dribble through traffic without feeling a ton of pressure, as his length allows him to put the ball where only he can reach.

  • Opens up a lot for him in terms of shot creation; he has a really nice stepback that generates a lot of space,

  • Allows him to change directions very quickly, making him hard to guard if he can get downhill, which he does very effectively

  • Combining that handle with his twitchiness, he is effective in isolation (95% time rank at a 72% PPP Rank). Attacks his defender well and can capitalize on open driving lanes effectively.

CONS

• Consistency with his shot

  • Has a lot of tools and intelligence to get good shots off, it will just be a matter of consistency

    • His makes look really solid; back of the net, right where you want them to be. His high FT% is most likely a good sign on how his jumper will develop.

    • His mechanics are good as well, and his efficiency in his freshman year was loads better.

      • This may be a result of more of the scoring load being placed on his shoulders as Bub Carrington left for the NBA.

  • Issue might pertain with how many bad shots he takes. He forces some bad looks early in the shot clock, and that translates to his shot quality numbers on Synergy (Low Shot Quality has a time rank of 89%, with High being at 7%).

• Put on muscle

  • Heavily impacts both ends of the floor for him; makes it hard for him to finish through contact at the rim, and he can be bullied by a lot of guys at the next level, especially in the NBA when they weigh 25 more pounds than him

    • That lack of strength/weight makes him bad when he gets screened

      • When playing against Duke, they really picked on him using pindowns, flare screens, and the PNR.

Final Take: Smart, floor general guard who has great dexterity with good footwork, a tight handle, and great length and quickness, but lacks a lot of consistency with his shot and will need to bulk up to play at the next level

Draft Projection: Mid to Late 2nd Round.

Player Comp: Monte Morris-quick, underweight guard who can rack up assists with his good vision, has great hands, with a great wingspan and length to boot