Jaland Lowe saw the news flash across his feed, Third Team Preseason All-SEC. It’s a nice honor for the point guard transferring into the nation's toughest conference. But Lowe isn't dwelling on it.
Eyes on the real prize
“I mean it popped up on my feed, but I mean it really doesn’t mean anything to me right now,” Lowe said Tuesday. “Just, you know, it’s a preseason accolade. I’m blessed to receive that, but uh, you know, I’ve got higher aspirations and this team’s got higher aspirations to, you know, do a lot bigger things than that.”
What bigger things? Lowe didn’t hesitate. “A national championship,” he stated plainly. “Winning takes care of everything and, uh, the way that our group of guys is built, uh, we really want to win a national championship to bring, you know, Kentucky back to that top one pedestal.”
Embracing the number 9
Lowe also acknowledged the growing symbolism around Kentucky’s preseason No. 9 AP ranking and the quest for the program’s ninth national title. “I think we mentioned that the other day,” he said, noting teammate Trent Noah wears the historic number. “They put Trent Noah on the little thing about us being, you know, AP number nine and how this year is supposed to be number nine. So, you know, it’s definitely a sign for us.”
A system built on confidence and chemistry
Lowe described his first Big Blue Madness as “amazing” and “by far the best event I’ve ever been part of.” He’s quickly adapting to Mark Pope’s unique offensive system, one built on confidence and a shared language.
“I’ve never been a part of a system like this,” Lowe admitted. “It’s crazy the uh the confidence he instills in us… the way that we talk in our gym, a lot of people won’t understand what we’re even talking about.” He explained that the system makes the game feel “a lot easier” and allows him to focus on making the right plays without feeling pressure to do too much.
Choosing Kentucky, Lowe said, was about Pope’s honesty, the system’s fit, and the clear opportunity to win at the highest level. Preseason honors are nice, but for Jaland Lowe, the focus is squarely on bringing that ninth banner home.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion