Sophomore guard Jaland Lowe (15) attempts a layup during Pitt men’s basketball’s game against UNC on Jan. 28 at the Petersen Events Center.
On Tuesday morning, it was announced on X that Pitt sophomore guard Jaland Lowe was entering the transfer portal. This announcement should come as no shock, with Pitt losing four other players to the portal last week. This loss, however, stings a bit more for the Panthers and their fans.
In his second year with the team, Lowe showed immense growth, bumping up his scoring average by seven points and improving in rebounds, assists and steals. With such great improvement in just a year, the loss of a player of this caliber hurts for Pitt. With the departures of seniors Zach Austin and Ishmael Leggett, Lowe was next in line to head the ship.
For the Panthers, who have now lost four of five potential starters for next season, Lowe’s departure is devastating. Without Lowe, next year’s roster will have little experience and mentorship — something crucial for teams to have to play competitive college basketball.
With Lowe ditching the blue and gold for some new threads, speculation as to where he will play next is up in the air. Lowe will enter the portal with a “Do not contact” tag, and Familial ties point to Miami and head coach, Jai Lucas. Lucas is the son of Lowe’s godfather, former NBA great John Lucas II.
The NBA is not out of the question for Lowe either as he is also entering the 2025 NBA Draft while keeping his collegiate eligibility. In November, there was a possibility for Lowe to get drafted early on, possibly in the First Round in the NBA Draft as he was called “One of the Best Prospects in the ACC” by 247 Sports analyst Adam Finkelstein.
A return to Pitt though, is still not out of the picture, and it will most likely come down to where Lowe can make the most NIL before a hopeful move to the NBA.
After this two-week span roster collapse, questions linger around the future of the program, which includes head coach Jeff Capel’s role in the coming years.
Fans are in store for an interesting summer as the current state of Pitt basketball is in serious jeopardy.
“Here’s how to fight: You fight until they kill you, until they kill you and…
In the eighth grade, thinking that he was following God’s wishes, Brock Bahler wanted to…
In 2023, Pitt women’s soccer advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in…
As Dolly Alderton states, “Nearly everything I know about love, I've learned from my long-term…
On March 24, the University hiring freeze was lifted for student employees, although the staff…
Pitt takes pride in celebrating the entire Pitt community during Greek Week, not just those…