Bio Blast: Colgate guard Jalen Cox

Mark Pope‘s pursuit of a reloaded backcourt continues in the portal. He’ll host Washington transfer Zoom Diallo for a visit in Lexington on Friday and Saturday, but more guards will be needed to fill out Kentucky’s 2026-27 roster.

A name to monitor is Colgate’s Jalen Cox. Jacob Polacheck for KSR+ reported that Kentucky spoke with Cox via Zoom on Thursday. As of Friday morning, a visit to check out UK’s campus is in the works. Now that the recruiting dead period is over, Cox could arrive in the Bluegrass State as early as the next few days. A 6-foot-3 combo guard, he’s hearing from several big-name programs

After three seasons at Colgate, Cox will have one year of eligibility remaining at his next stop. He’s currently ranked No. 147 overall and the 15th-best combo guard to enter his name in the portal so far, per On3. Let’s get to know him a little bit better with another edition of KSR’s Bio Blast.

A star defender in the Patriot League

An unranked recruit out of Loyola (CA) High in Los Angeles, Cox made an immediate impact for Colgate as a true freshman in 2023-24. He started 15 of his 35 games played, averaging 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 19.7 minutes per outing as a low-volume shooter. Even still, Cox was key in leading the Raiders to the NCAA Tournament. All 15 of his starts came in the final 15 games of the season. Cox dropped 15 points against Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament semifinals.

His role expanded as a sophomore in 2024-25. Cox became a full-time starter from the jump. In 31 appearances, he boosted his per-game numbers to 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in 28.8 minutes. Cox posted his first career double-double with a 22-point, 10-assist showing in a win over Loyola (MD). He also took on Kentucky in Pope’s first season as head coach, posting 10 points and eight assists in a 78-67 loss in Rupp Arena. Cox’s scoring picked up as the season went along, hitting double-figures in each of his last 10 games. He landed a spot on the Patriot League All-Defensive Team and an All-Patriot League Third Team nod.

But this past season was easily his best yet. Cox once again made the All-Defensive Team while earning All-Patriot League First Team honors along the way. He averaged 17.9 points, a conference-leading 5.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 34.1 minutes per game. He shot 54.4 percent on two-pointers and 36.5 percent on threes on low volume while also cutting down his turnovers from the previous season. Cox recorded three games with at least 30 points and five double-doubles.

What the advanced stats say about his game

Cox has shown the ability to step outside and knock down threes, shooting 52-153 (34 percent) from deep throughout his three-year college career. That’s only roughly 1.6 three-point attempts per game. Where he earns his money is inside the arc. He attempted more two-pointers last season than anyone else in the Patriot League (349), knocking them down at a 54.2 percent clip, which ranked in the 78th percentile among all guards, per CBB Analytics. He’s turned into a good free-throw shooter, one who gets to the line a ton. His 4.8 free-throw attempts per game last season, coupled with an 85.5 percent shooting clip, both ranked in the 86th percentile or better.

As Colgate’s primary ball handler in 2025-26, Cox posted a high usage rate (27.4 percent), but that didn’t stop him from being incredibly efficient (59.8 true shooting percentage). He posted an impressive assist/turnover ratio of 2.14, but his turnover numbers skyrocketed in three games against Quad 1 opponents, albeit those teams were Michigan State, Illinois, and Florida during non-conference play. Cox’s turnover percentage of 13.7 percent on the season graded out as average, but 25.7 percent in three Quad 1 games was well below it.

The advanced stats like what Cox brings defensively and on the glass. He’s not going to take a ton of threes, but can efficiently score inside the arc through a variety of ways, particularly when he gets into the paint.

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