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Can we stop calling JQ a "starter"

A

anonymousunranked

Redshirt
Dec 3, 2025
7
26
13
No we do NOT have three "starters" out. JQ has not started a single game this year. Pope brought him in knowing damn well his situation and that he likely wouldn't play until late in the season. This isn't like he was supposed to play then got injured. He already had a torn ACL when we recruited him. So can we please stop going around saying "oh well if we had JQ in we would've won!!" because that's just cope.

Let's be real, this team has deeper problems than a few guys being out. In the few games we've seen Lowe play he hasn't looked great at all. Mo is good but do we really think that he would've been the difference in this game? That him being out is the true reason we lost? Absolutely not. For the team that was supposed to be the "deepest roster in the country", we sure do struggle when one or two guys is out. Please tell me how we are the "deepest team" if we supposedly can't function without them?
 
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SDcatfan13

All-Conference
Sep 26, 2003
50,183
3,967
113
Think Michigan State and Louisville would have been hard to win at full strength, but feel confident that there wouldn't have been a 10 minute scoring drought or the rebounding issues against UNC with Quaintance available.

Lowe was available for 2 whole games so not ready to say he wouldn't be a difference maker yet. Still unknown, but with his passing definitely feel like scoring issues would be alleviated.
 
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A

anonymousunranked

Redshirt
Dec 3, 2025
7
26
13
SDcatfan13 said:
Think Michigan State and Louisville would have been hard to win at full strength, but feel confident that there wouldn't have been a 10 minute scoring drought or the rebounding issues against UNC with Quaintance available.

Lowe was available for 2 whole games so not ready to say he wouldn't be a difference maker yet. Still unknown, but with his passing definitely feel like scoring issues would be alleviated.
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I do agree, I'm not saying JQ wouldn't have made a difference, at least in the UNC game. But my whole point was that Pope and the fans knew he wasn't going to play this game. He was brought in with a torn ACL. He was not expected to play in this game, or any non-con game for that matter, from day 1. So my point is, if we can't win without JQ's impact, and we also knew he wouldn't play till WAY later on in the season, then why recruit him in the first place? And why are people using it as an excuse, as if he was EVER supposed to play in these games?
 
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K

Ky_Bred_Cat

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2014
2,112
3,915
113
JQ is a difference maker, an absolute athletic beast with unique skills. He will be a problem for opposing teams.

This isn't 1970. ACL reconstruction surgery has matured to the point it typically produces excellent results. I had mine in 1998 and was told the injured knee would be stronger than the other one. They were right.

With the tremendous stress and pressure of elite level athletics could JQ injure it again? Sure. So could any of them.

JQ and Sharpe are two different people, and so are Cal and Pope. I have no doubt he will play for UK this year. Will it make us a great team in and of itself? Maybe so, maybe not. But he is a unique talent that brings a lot to the table. We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out.
 
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theBlues

theBlues

All-Conference
Oct 18, 2025
856
1,841
93
anonymousunranked said:
I do agree, I'm not saying JQ wouldn't have made a difference, at least in the UNC game. But my whole point was that Pope and the fans knew he wasn't going to play this game. He was brought in with a torn ACL. He was not expected to play in this game, or any non-con game for that matter, from day 1. So my point is, if we can't win without JQ's impact, and we also knew he wouldn't play till WAY later on in the season, then why recruit him in the first place? And why are people using it as an excuse, as if he was EVER supposed to play in these games?
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His absence is not an excuse for losing last night but the possibility of his future presence is a reason for hope that things will get better.
 
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B

bnewt

Heisman
May 29, 2001
8,851
11,021
113
Ky_Bred_Cat said:
JQ is a difference maker, an absolute athletic beast with unique skills. He will be a problem for opposing teams.

This isn't 1970. ACL reconstruction surgery has matured to the point it typically produces excellent results. I had mine in 1998 and was told the injured knee would be stronger than the other one. They were right.

With the tremendous stress and pressure of elite level athletics could JQ injure it again? Sure. So could any of them.

JQ and Sharpe are two different people, and so are Cal and Pope. I have no doubt he will play for UK this year. Will it make us a great team in and of itself? Maybe so, maybe not. But he is a unique talent that brings a lot to the table. We'll have to wait and see how it shakes out.
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How can you say that?????
He is 17 or 18 years old............how can he be a beast against men?
He has played for ab out a year + he has an acl injury. What ever skill he had prior to the injury may never return.
Granted he should be better than Garrison, but is he better than Moreno?
Can he score inside?
Can he rebound & block shots?
He is a bad free throw shooter, so how does that help at key times in games.
I hope he is as talented and produce like some hope, but..........
Pope & his staff did a horrible job putting together this roster. Mo, Garrison, Noah, do not belong at this level.
Oweh is not the same player as last year. There are no shooters, no point guard. Nothing but back ups, no starters
 
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A

anonymousunranked

Redshirt
Dec 3, 2025
7
26
13
The_Answer1313_rivals said:
Eh not sure I agree with this logic.

He hasn't started a game for us because he's recovering from injury. That's all. He's still a starter. He's probably the best player we have.

So yes we are definitely missing him as a starter.
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He's recovering from an injury... that he was suffering from since last season. This wasn't an unexpected injury, it was an ACL injury he already had. He was recruited knowing he wouldn't be a starter until his ACL is healed, likely in the later half of the season. So he cannot be considered a starter right now whatsoever. Because, uh, he won't START/play for another few months. lol.
 
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T

The_Answer1313_rivals

Heisman
May 27, 2007
31,129
23,961
113
anonymousunranked said:
He's recovering from an injury... that he was suffering from since last season. This wasn't an unexpected injury, it was an ACL injury he already had. He was recruited knowing he wouldn't be a starter until his ACL is healed, likely in the later half of the season. So he cannot be considered a starter right now whatsoever. Because, uh, he won't START/play for another few months. lol.
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I think I look at it differently. To me would he be a starter if he was healthy? There's no doubt about that. The fact he has to be out for half a season really doesn't change that.

At least IMO.

The fact that we knew he'd be missing doesn't change the fact that he's one of the five best players on the team. So yeah I can see why most would feel we are missing a starter and counting him.
 
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theBlues

theBlues

All-Conference
Oct 18, 2025
856
1,841
93
bnewt said:
How can you say that?????
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He can say it because he was better last year at age 17 than any of our bigs are this year.
bnewt said:
He is 17 or 18 years old............how can he be a beast against men?
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He was a beast against men last year at 17 so why shouldn't he be now at age 18?
bnewt said:
He has played for ab out a year + he has an acl injury. What ever skill he had prior to the injury may never return.
Granted he should be better than Garrison, but is he better than Moreno?
Can he score inside?
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Watch some video; he is an amazing finisher. If he catches the ball near the rim, he is open. He dunked over everybody. This guy doesn't have a problem getting his shot off against anybody. And he doesn't have to post up; he can catch on the run or drive to the hoop since he has fast twitch quickness and a good handle.

bnewt said:
Can he rebound & block shots?
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He was one of the premier shot blockers of the past 10 years. And yes, he is also a good rebounder. Man, the guy is 6'10" and 240 pounds with long arms and is one of the quickest and best jumping players we have.
bnewt said:
He is a bad free throw shooter, so how does that help at key times in games.
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He has improved his shot form in a dramatic way since last year. His form is now impeccable so there is no reason to think that his percentages from the free throw line and 3 point range will not go up significantly.
 
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Drogon

Drogon

All-Conference
Mar 14, 2017
739
1,021
93
The problem isn't the word, "starter". The problem is the word, "missing". He's not missing. He's injured. He's unavailable, not missing.
 
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TFCat11

TFCat11

All-American
Mar 25, 2019
5,111
8,727
108
Jaland Lowe isn’t a starter either! He’s played in just two games, and came off the bench in both💯💯
 
K

KyKevin

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2021
640
1,121
93
I will be glad when we are calling Quaintance a starter, that will be the most positive thing that has happened this year. But I do love Moreno, and think he will be in the NBA some day. If he was athletic like JQ, he would be dominating teams.
 
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TNCatfanforever

Heisman
Apr 3, 2003
21,899
13,528
62
Lowe was holding both hands above his head and cheering last night. Hopefully he can eat a few pop tarts and toughen up. Several people close to the program believe JQ will never play this season. I hope they are wrong. At this point I have lost all faith in Barnhart, Pope and UK athletics in general. I am 71 and a life long fan from Weeksbury and Prestonsburg in Floyd County I am not sure I will ever see UK relevant again in any sport except maybe Volleyball. I sure hope I am wrong.
 
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FitchandMurray29

All-Conference
Dec 11, 2021
2,145
4,385
61
Fun fact: using ESPN’s transfer rankings there are 3 players Borzello/ESPN ranked in the top 25 that aren’t starting for their teams.

Who are those 3?

Ian Jackson at SJU
Jayden Quaintance at UK
Jaland Lowe at UK

While Jackson isn’t starting he’s still a 12 PPG scorer.

Pretty fair to say these guys can be labeled as “starters” imo
 
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