You just had a feeling that some portal losses were going to be on the way for Kentucky, but did we think this would be the first one to drop?
Kentucky's bench continues to clear as another coach hits the exit door
Moments ago, On3's Joe Tipton has reported that veteran point guard Jaland Lowe, who just moved to Lexington last offseason, is saying goodbye to Kentucky. That's right, after appearing in only nine games for the Wildcats after making the move from Pitt, Lowe is planning to enter the transfer portal when it officially opens. This has proven to be a major swing and a miss for Pope and his staff.
NEW: Kentucky guard Jaland Lowe plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @JoeTipton reports.https://t.co/ODzmAzIvRS pic.twitter.com/7gKGcBM4kn
— On3 (@On3) March 28, 2026
Kentucky PG Jaland Lowe is reportedly planning to enter the transfer portal
When Lowe first joined the program, he did so with a ton of hype surrounding his name. Last campaign for Pitt, the 6-1, 170-pounder averaged 16.8 points and nearly six assists per game. Because of that, he was a top target for several schools.
Despite that, Pope and his staff went all-in to land him, with things getting across the board. Unfortunately for the UK faithful, Lowe suffered a serious shoulder injury that forced him to miss most of the season. He ended up playing in nine games, scoring eight points per contest. He added 2.4 assists and 2.1 assists per game. It wasn't long ago too that Lowe hinted he was planning to come back in 2026-27.
“I don’t think about leaving the team or leaving the coaching staff. I’m really here right now, present with these guys," Lowe said after Kentucky beat Mizzou in the SEC Tournament. "But I mean, my plan has always been to come back. If that happens, that happens, and I’d be happy with that.”
With Lowe missing most of the year and not really impressing when he was healthy, it added to the headaches for Kentucky. This roster was expected to push for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, but a second-round exit was posted.
Heck, UK should have lost to Santa Clara in the first round, but Otega Oweh's buzzer-beater saved the day. Despite that, there are major changes coming for this program next season, with more goodbyes expected and new faces expected to join via the portal. We all had high hopes for Lowe with Kentucky, but things didn't go to plan and he's already looking for a fresh start elsewhere.