Kentucky Wildcats guard Jaland Lowe. Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky receives crushing Jaland Lowe update amid injury-plagued season

By Colby Colwell | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 8:40 PM ET

The Kentucky Wildcats have hardly been at full strength all season, and that is not going to change after Monday's announcement.

During his weekly radio show, head coach Mark Pope confirmed that point guard Jaland Lowe will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, per On3's Joe Tipton. This comes after Lowe exited Saturday's win over Mississippi State after re-aggravating the injury just three minutes into the game.

According to Pope, Lowe, who transferred from Pittsburgh after averaging 16.8 PPG last season, will need around six months of rehab to recover from the shoulder injury, one in which Lowe dislocated three times either during games or practice.

As Kentucky's only true point guard on its roster, Lowe's impact has been felt when he is on and off the floor. Although he has missed seven games total, Lowe made his first start of the season on Jan. 7 against Missouri and scored a season-high 21 points (8-of-16 FG) in Kentucky's SEC opener against then-14 Alabama.

NEWS: Kentucky guard Jaland Lowe will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, Mark Pope has announced. https://t.co/xFMjQRfDPL pic.twitter.com/UdGAh5ZbRS
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) January 12, 2026

Kentucky will be tested with no true PG on the roster

The Wildcats have had an inconsistent season, especially against power conference opponents. Until their win over the Bulldogs on Saturday, Kentucky was 0-2 in SEC play and had struggled to establish any momentum all season.

As someone who scored at least 20 points in 10 games for Pittsburgh last season, it is fair to wonder what Lowe could have done had he been fully healthy. He only averaged eight points and 2.4 assists in 18.6 minutes for Kentucky, but the offense certainly looked better when he was dictating it.

When Lowe has been banged up, Pope has turned to Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen and freshman Jasper Johnson. While Oweh (15.5 PPG) and Aberdeen (11.3 PPG) lead the team in scoring, they also lead the Wildcats in turnovers, an area Lowe excelled in.

Since he only played in nine games, Lowe could qualify for a medical redshirt. He is only a junior, so the potential of him still having two years remaining could be huge for Kentucky, assuming his recovery goes well.

Kentucky has road games against LSU (12-4, 0-3 SEC) and No. 24 Tennessee (11-5, 1-2 SEC) this week as it gets into the thick of SEC play. The loss of Lowe will be tested immediately as the Wildcats try to build off their huge second half against Mississippi State and carry that momentum forward.

Colby Colwell

Colby Colwell is a freelance contributor with a bachelor’s in Computer & Information Technology and a minor in Psychology from Western Kentucky University. With a deep passion for sports, especially NASCAR, he offers his substantial knowledge along with his adept writing skills. When he’s not writing, Colby enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with his family

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