Jaland Lowe Named to Bob Cousy Award Watch List
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – Kentucky guard Jaland Lowe was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s preseason watch list for the 2026 Bob Cousy Award on Monday.
Lowe is a dynamic guard who can score at all three levels. He was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Second Team All-District and was a third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer as a sophomore at Pitt. He led the Panthers in scoring at 16.8 points per game, while also contributing 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. He was one of just eight players in the nation to average at least 16.5 points, 4.0 boards and 5.5 dimes a season ago. Lowe reached double-figure scoring in 26 games and topped the 20-point plateau a team-high 10 times. He registered five or more assists in 19 outings and became the third player in Pitt history to top 500 points and 150 assists in a single season. The Missouri City, Texas native also recorded just the sixth triple-double in program history as a sophomore with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win at VMI.
Named after All-American and NCAA Champion guard Bob Cousy from Holy Cross, the award is in its 23rd year.
Lowe was selected as one of 20 candidates as the best point guard in college basketball. Kentucky has had one player in program history earn the distinguished honor when Tyler Ulis won the award in 2016. Other SEC candidates on the 2025-26 preseason list include Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr., Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford, Florida’s Boogie Fland, Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard and Tennessee’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie.
Fans are encouraged to participate in voting in each of the three rounds for the Naismith awards. In late January, all of the lists will be narrowed down to 10 players and five in February. Winners will be announced at a to be determined date.
The Wildcats will hold their second exhibition contest this Thursday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. ET against the Georgetown Hoyas. The game will air digitally on SEC Network+. UK opens the regular season inside Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 against Nicholls.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
