Pacers Select Pitt Star in Latest Mock Draft

The Indiana Pacers will select a Pitt Panthers star in the NBA draft.

Dec 21, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Jaland Lowe (15) brings the ball up court against the Sam Houston State Bearkats during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Indiana Pacers selected a talented Pitt Panthers star guard in a recent mock 2025 NBA Draft.

John Fanta of Fox Sports released his latest mock draft and has the Pacers, at No. 16 overall in the first round, selecting Pitt sophomore guard Jaland Lowe.

Lowe arrived at Pitt as a Class of 2023 four-star guard who played for Fort Bend Marshall High School in Missouri City, Texas, just outside of Houston. 

He played in all 33 games in the 2023-24 season, starting 19 of them, while averaging 26.5 minutes, scoring 9.6 points, dishing out 3.3 assists and grabbing 2.8 rebounds per game, respectively. He also shot 38.8% from the field, 35.2% from 3-point range and 85.5% from the free-throw line.

Lowe scored a season-high 20 points twice, as he shot 8-for-15 from the field, 3-for-4 from the foul line and made a 3-pointer in a loss to Syracuse at home on Jan. 16 and shot 7-for-12, 5-for-5 from the foul line and made a 3-pointer in a victory over NC State on the road on Feb. 7.

He posted one double-double on the season in the win at home against Florida State on March 5. He scored 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field, including a 3-pointer and two foul shots, while also creating 10 assists. 

Two other great games saw him score 12 points and make nine assists in a blowout win at Boston College on March 2 and tally 18 points plus six assists in a win over Virginia Tech at home on Feb. 24. 

His biggest highlight of the season came in an 80-76 win against then ranked No. 7 Duke at Cameron Indoor on Jan. 20. He hit a 3-pointer right in the face of Duke forward Kyle Filipowski with less than 50 seconds left to put Pitt up four points. while shushing the crowd with a finger to his lips.

Lowe has had a great sophomore season, as he leads the Panthers with 17.2 points, 34.9 minutes, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game and fourth with 4.7 rebounds per game. He also is shooting 37.5% from the field, 28.6% from 3-point range and 90.6% from the foul line in 16 contests.

He is amongst the best in the ACC in numerous statistical categories, ranking No. 2 in free throw percentage, No, 3 in both assists and minutes per game, No. 5 in steals per game, No. 8 in points per game, No. 10 with a 2.1 assist/turnover ratio and No. 18 in field goal percentage.

Lowe finished with a triple-double, scoring 11 points, shooting 4-for-8 from the field, making a 3-pointer and adding two free throws, while also grabbing 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the win over VMI on Nov. 18. This is just the sixth triple-double in Pitt history.

He dropped a career-high 28 points in the overtime road win vs. Ohio State on Nov. 29 and scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half of the comeback road win vs. Virginia Tech in the ACC opener on Dec. 7.

Lowe also had a double-double in the home win vs. Sam Houston on Dec. 21, 18 points and 11 assists, and dropped 27 points, plus dished out eight assists in a comeback home win over Cal on New Year's Day.

He made all 13 shots from the foul line, scoring 24 points in the home loss to Louisville on Jan. 11. This was the fourth most makes for a Pitt player without missing in one game in program history.

If Lowe continues his great play through ACC play, NBA scouts will start to take notice of it and he'll rise up draft boards.

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