The Kentucky Wildcats are making a surprising move by finalizing a deal to hire Mark Pope, the former UK player and current BYU coach, to replace John Calipari as the program’s next basketball coach. Calipari recently announced his departure from Kentucky after a successful 15-year tenure to take the coaching job at Arkansas.
Athletic director Mitch Barnhart pursued several high-profile coaches, including Scott Drew, Dan Hurley, and Billy Donovan, before ultimately settling on Pope. While Pope may not have the same level of postseason success as some of the other candidates, he brings a different approach to roster building and coaching style.
Pope, who played two seasons with the Wildcats and was captain of Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team, has had coaching stints at Utah Valley and BYU. He has a reputation for being a bright coaching mind and embraces the challenges of modern college basketball, including navigating the transfer portal and NIL landscape.
From a basketball standpoint, Pope’s teams have played fast-paced, exciting basketball with an emphasis on offensive efficiency. His BYU teams have been well-schooled and adaptable, often exceeding expectations despite facing tough competition.
While there may be some skepticism from fans about Pope’s hiring, given his lack of experience at the highest levels of college basketball, his intelligence, adaptability, and coaching acumen suggest that he could be a strong fit for Kentucky as they usher in a new era of Wildcats basketball.
