Could Pitt have a player drafted in back-to-back years?
Just one day after the 2024 NBA Draft concluded in Brooklyn, New York, basketball-covering outlets across the country are already releasing their 2025 NBA Mock Drafts. In the case of Yahoo! Sports and NBADraft.Net, some of those mock drafts include another Pitt guard — Jaland Lowe.
In Krysten Peek’s Yahoo mock draft that was released on Thursday night, she included the Houston native as the No. 25 overall pick.
In NBADraft.net’s piece from earlier this spring, the site has Lowe going No. 11 overall to the Chicago Bulls.
Lowe turned it on down the stretch for the Panthers in his rookie season, starting each of the final 19 games of the season at the point. He averaged 13.1 points per game upon being inserted into the lineup, forming a dynamic backcourt with Carrington. He then announced his return to Pitt for his sophomore campaign back in early April, shortly after Carrington declared for the NBA Draft.
Earlier this week, Carrington was selected No. 14 overall by the Washington Wizards in the First Round of this year’s NBA Draft.
Lowe put together perhaps his best game as a Panther against Florida State in March, pouring in 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting and adding 10 assists and five rebounds. Lowe’s play down the stretch for the Panthers points to his high upside next season.
He was originally a four-star recruit in the class of 2023, rated as the 89th-ranked recruit in the class by 247 Sports, and he committed to Pitt prior to a standout senior season at Fort Bend Marshall.
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Kevin Durant is one of the best players in NBA history. At 36, the new Houston Rockets star is coming off a year where he averaged an outstanding 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per contest while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43.0% from the three-point range in 62 games. Last year, Boston Celtics legend (and Basketball Hall of Famer) Larry Bird spoke about Durant in an interview with NBA on TNT. Bird: "I thought KD would possibly win the scoring title, if he's healthy, when he first came in, six or seven years in a row... He's so smooth on the offensive end. Very talented player. I always wanted to see him do well." Considering Bird is a top-ten player of all time, fans should enjoy hearing him speak about Durant. The 2014 MVP has faced a lot of criticism during his career, but he is unquestionably on track to finish as one of the best 15-20 players of all time. Via NBA History (on April 14): "On this day 15 years ago... Kevin Durant became the youngest player to win the regular season scoring title (30.1 PPG) at the age of 21!" As for Bird, he spent all 13 seasons of his career playing for the Celtics. He helped lead the franchise to three NBA Championships (and won three straight MVPs from 1984-86). Via ThrowbackHoops: "Larry Bird dropped 60 PTS on the Hawks! (1985) 60 PTS 7 REB 61% FG (22/36) 94% FT (15/16)"
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