Kentucky basketball point guard Jaland Lowe will meet with doctors on Friday to evaluate the status of his injured shoulder and determine whether surgery is required, according to Rob Dauster with The
Field of 68.
The Pitt transfer guard re-aggravated the injury in practice on Thursday
, raising new concerns about a setback that originally occurred during Kentucky’s Blue-White scrimmage on October 17.That initial injury sidelined Lowe for both preseason exhibitions and the Wildcats’ season opener against Nicholls State. He returned to the court on Friday against Valparaiso, and on Tuesday, he played 30 minutes in Kentucky’s 96–88 loss to Louisville, finishing with nine points and five assists in just his second appearance of the season.
Early testing has brought some encouraging news. According to Dauster, both an X-ray and MRI revealed no additional structural damage beyond what he suffered in October. Kentucky Sports Radio’s Jack Pilgrim previously outlined the range of options Lowe and the program must weigh moving forward, which could include surgery.
Lowe, his family, Kentucky’s medical staff, and the coaching staff will meet on Friday to determine next steps, which may include seeking a second opinion. His status for Friday’s matchup with Eastern Illinois remains uncertain as the Wildcats evaluate all medical avenues, though we should all assume he’ll be out for at least a few weeks.
The situation echoes last season’s backcourt challenges, when injuries to Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson, and Kerr Kriisa significantly disrupted Kentucky’s guard rotation. The Wildcats now face the possibility of navigating similar adversity ahead of Tuesday’s Champions Classic showdown against Michigan State in New York and potentially December games vs. North Carolina, Gonzaga, Indiana, and St. John’s.
