Q&A: Returning Purdue assistant coach Kenneth Lowe

Kenneth Lowe’s new office in Mackey Arena is empty, barely anything on the shelves and only a few items on his desk.

As Lowe returns to his alma mater and gets his first high-major coaching opportunity, prettying up his workspace is the least of his concerns.

“I dont want to decorate,” Lowe says. “I want to work.”

The former Boilermaker standout under Gene Keady was brought back to Matt Painter’s staff — he previously occupied a support-staff position for four seasons (2014-2017) after a nine-year playing career overseas.

GoldandBlack.com spoke with Lowe Monday about his return and more.

Here’s what he had to say.

Q: What’s it like to be back at Purdue?
A: It’s home. It’s home. The best thing about this is I knew everybody on staff previously, so when I came in, it felt like family. Having those relationships before I got here really helps.

Q: Has this kind of been a goal for you since you left?
A: In my opinion, it’s everybody’s goal. If you have a good experience at a university, why wouldn’t you want to coach there if you’re in this business? For me, this is home. I had an unbelievable experience here, so to be able to work here is an added bonus. I’m very grateful for the opportunity and thankful for Coach, (Mike) Bobinski and the rest of the staff. Like I said, this is home. It means a lot to me to be here, and I’m excited.

Q: What can you bring to the program?
A: One thing I really valued about my time at St. Thomas was seeing a different way of doing things. The way (head coach) Johnny Tauer operated was different from what I was used to. Having the Purdue background and the Tauer background and combining those, I think, helps. As coaches, we can get locked into doing things one way because that’s what we’re comfortable with. My time at St. Thomas made me more versatile because it was different, and it helped expand my coaching ability.

Q: What was that experience at St. Thomas like, and why were you able to have success there?
A: For me, it always starts at the top. I think Coach (Johnny) Tauer is a phenomenal coach, but our guys also bought in. That’s the goal for every coach — to get every player to buy in, even when they want more or want a bigger role. When you can get that, you build camaraderie and chemistry. That’s what helped us. It was the culture, along with Coach Tauer.

Q: Anything you take from there systematically?
A: Nothing specific schematically. It was more about how practices were structured — even things like how we practiced on the road before games. That was different from what I was used to, and it helped broaden my perspective.

Q: What was your role on staff?
A: I was the defensive coordinator. I handled every scout. Coach Tauer and the rest of the staff gave input, but it was my responsibility to get the guys ready game in and game out.

Q: You were a great defensive player here when you had two good shoulders. What translates from that to coaching?
A: It always comes back to toughness. That’s something at Purdue we’re always going to teach. As I got older, it was also about not making excuses. That’s something I try to instill in players — don’t make excuses, don’t give in. There’s always a way, and we have to figure it out, whether that’s together or in live action.

I know things happen — like fighting through screens — but you still have to find a way. I try to pass along the techniques and mindset that helped me. Being the toughest guy on the court doesn’t depend on size. You can be 5-11, 150 pounds and still be the toughest guy out there. That mindset is something I try to instill in our guys.

Q: You were always high-energy and charismatic. Has that carried into coaching?
A: Absolutely. But you also have to know who you work for. There were things I could do at St. Thomas — in timeouts or practice — that I might not be able to do here right away. Coach Tauer gave me a lot of freedom, and I had to earn that.

Here, working with Coach Painter, Coach Lusk, and Coach Brantley, I’ll earn their trust the same way. I’ll still bring that energy, but for me it’s about communication. I’m big on communicating with players — good and bad — because sometimes they think they’re doing better than they are, or worse than they are. Constant communication matters.

Q: You’re still relatively young in the profession. Can you relate to players in today’s environment?
A: Absolutely. I’m not a dictator — relationships matter to me. If I don’t have a relationship with a player, that bothers me. I’ve always been relatable. I know the music, the video games, the fashion — all of that.

Even when I was a player, I connected with younger guys. Nothing has really changed for me, even in this landscape.

Q: Very different landscape.
A: It is. But I focus on what I can control. That’s it. Everything else is out of my control, so I don’t spend time on it.

Q: You’ve always seemed like a younger guy with an old soul. Fair?
A: I’d say that’s fair. It’s funny — people don’t always realize how old I am. Even in a staff meeting the other day, someone asked and was surprised.

I try to keep that youthful energy as long as I can. When that goes, it’s probably time to do something else. But I still have a lot of energy and a lot to learn.

Q: Were you man-to-man defensively at St. Thomas?
A: Absolutely. No zone. Not even zone press. All man-to-man.

Q: Purdue’s become an elite offensive program over the last decade. What stands out to you from afar?
A: Buy-in. I look at guys like Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer — guys who could have gone elsewhere and made more money, but stayed and bought into the system.

People on the outside don’t understand how hard it is to get 13-15 players fully bought in. There’s so much noise — social media, NIL, agents, high school coaches — people pulling them in different directions. When you can get everyone focused and aligned, you’ve won.

Q: How many Region guys on a staff are too many Region guys?
A: Never. You can never have too many. The 219 is the birthplace of basketball in Indiana.