Warriors Taking Pitt Guard in Latest Mock Draft

The Golden State Warriors will take a Pitt Panthers guard in the NBA Draft.

Dec 11, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Jaland Lowe (15) drives to the basket against Eastern Kentucky Colonels guard George Kimble III (3) during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have one of the best guards in the ACC and the country in sophomore Jaland Lowe, with NBA scouts starting to take notice.

Kyle Boone of CBS Sports wrote up his 2025 NBA Mock Draft and predicted that the Golden State Warriors will take Lowe with the No. 27 overall pick in the First Round. He ranked him as the No. 27 overall prospect and sixth best guard in the draft class.

"The sophomore leap we hoped for has so far come true with Lowe, who has a chance to be one of the best playmakers in this class," Boone wrote. "Hopefully his 3-point shooting will course-correct back to his freshman average, as he's struggled from distance this season."

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.

He came off the bench for the entire non-conference, but started the final 19 games of the season, including all but the three first ACC games. 

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 34.3 minutes, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and ranks second with 17.1 points. He also is shooting 38.4% from the field, 26.8% from 3-point range and 87.9% from the foul line in 11 contests.

He ranks amongst the best players in the ACC, including second best foul shooting percentage, 16th best field goal percentage plus tied for fourth in assists per game and 10th in points per game and steals per game. He also ranks sixth in the ACC in steals per game.

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.

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

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