Alright folks, it’s time we sit down for the umpteenth time and openly discuss the travesty that is Chase Lowe’s recruitment. Before we delve into the specific details of the situation, we must genuinely ask, “what more does he need to do or prove'” Yeah, the transfer portal. Whatever. It’s becoming really tired and played out at this point. Do coaches not understand that every team cannot benefit from loading up with transfers' Plenty of programs will improve, it’s inevitable, but we are being naïve to think that every single transfer is better than every high school player. It seems like most people understand the sanctity of job security (otherwise known as the primary basis for basically every program prioritizing transfers over better high school prospects), and generally get why this is occurring throughout college athletics. However, simply understanding the thought process doesn’t make anyone feel better. Why would anyone be okay with the current recruiting landscape'
Regardless, back to Lowe. It’s difficult to say anything without immediately gushing about his incredibly long list of accomplishments. For starters, his ability to win games cannot be overstated. To reaffirm: (3/3/20) was the last time Lowe lost a high school contest. Two full calendar years. Certainly, every transfer on the market also has that type of unwavering success…right' Wrong. Add in his unbelievably consistent production over the last four years, and it’s just perplexing. Let’s try an exercise. Here are the averages from the senior season of four North Carolina prospects:
Player A: 13.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 3.2 SPG, 1.5 BPG with 48/29/77 splits
Player B: 19.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG with 58/35/79 splits
Player C: 17.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG with 55/13/61 splits
Player D: 21.4 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG with 60/44/75 splits
Player A is Rechon “Leaky” Black (UNC), Player B is Jomaru Brown (EKU), Player C is Chase Lowe, and Player D is Ryan Schwieger (Loyola Chicago). The numbers are what they are, no context or explanation required. Draw your own conclusions.
Surely, we all see the issue—right' Lowe is the only player listed to hold less than (at least) a handful of offers (claiming scholarships from Army and Elon). Additionally, no player above was more successful than Lowe at the high school level. (Worth noting: he passed Schwieger’s (mentioned above) 1,405 career points in January to become Weddington’s all-time leading scorer). It’s probably sounding like a broken record at this point, but who cares' We will only get louder and louder at advocating for arguably the most under-recruited prospect in the state. Without pointing out specific names, there are countless players committing via transfer portal who Lowe is plainly better than. We can go back to pretty much any class prior to Covid and pick a variety of examples to further prove this point.
In breaking down Lowe’s actual identity, we find a very unique player. While the success of Weddington should be credited to their entire roster and coaching staff, Lowe is still the clear fulcrum of their well-oiled machine. At a strong, fluid 6-foot-5, he can typically be found running the team as the primary creator. The lefty is brilliant at utilizing his intelligence to outthink and outmaneuver the opposition. Lowe is an incredible passer with the ability to access unreal angles and pinpoint teammates while under duress. He’s a quality athlete but doesn’t necessarily rely on explosiveness to make plays. Lowe legitimately defends four positions comfortably, and should likely still be able to toggle between three or so at the Division I level. His blend of size, instincts, and versatility makes him an elite piece defensively. He rebounds the ball at a high volume, consistently forces turnovers with ease, and applies nonstop offensive pressure in transition. Lowe finishes pretty much everything at the rim, regardless of contact.
His three-point shooting seems to always be a point of contention, but his mere fifteen attempts from distance this season should erase any worries. Why' Because taking 0.5 attempts per game isn’t a big deal. Half of those are probably heaves as time expires. Lowe doesn’t try to be someone he’s not, and he’s being punished as a result. Personally, the shooting shouldn’t matter. Every opponent has tried forcing him to shoot, and it does not work. Lowe still controls the action, and dominates. He does too many other things at such a high level, including win, for coaches to continually reemphasize his only real deficiency. Let’s pretend Lowe shot 40% from distance on a ton of attempts this year. The likely outcome' Every program currently treading water on him would have absolutely no chance. It’s understandable how much more valuable shooting is today than ever before, but making it a requirement for every non-footer to be a knockdown threat is pure absurdity.
Ultimately, there’s nothing more to be said or repeated. We can continue begging coaches to take a chance, but that’s all. Between his time with CC Elite and Weddington, Lowe is a proven winner and someone who visibly makes others better. He also sports high academics and displays no baggage on or off the court. No matter how we try to turn or twist the situation, it feels like a lot of programs are missing out on an asset by overlooking Lowe. He’s going to eventually spurn the programs who brushed him aside to pursue other avenues. Whoever takes the chance will be netting someone special.