The Kentucky Wildcats basketball program is reportedly in the process of hiring former BYU head coach Mark Pope as their new head coach, potentially replacing long-time coach John Calipari. Pope, 51, has been the head coach at Brigham Young University since 2019 and has amassed a record of 110-52, with two NCAA Tournament appearances. He was part of BYU’s move to the Big 12 this past season and led them to a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, although they were upset in the first round. Prior to his time at BYU, Pope coached at Utah Valley for four seasons, improving the team’s record in his final two years.
Mark Pope has a background in college and professional basketball, having played for Washington and Kentucky in college, winning a National Championship with the Wildcats in 1996. He was drafted into the NBA and played for the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Denver Nuggets before transitioning to coaching. If hired by Kentucky, Pope would become the 23rd head coach in the program’s history, following in the footsteps of John Calipari, who recently took a job at Arkansas after 15 successful seasons at Kentucky. Calipari’s tenure included numerous NCAA Tournament appearances and deep runs, with one national title in 2011-12.
Despite Kentucky’s strong basketball history and success under Calipari, the team has faced recent struggles in the NCAA Tournament, including early-round exits in the past three seasons. In the 2021-22 season, the Wildcats were upset by No. 15 seed Saint Peters in the first round, while they lost to No. 14 seed Oakland in the 2022-23 tournament. Kentucky has the second-most NCAA men’s basketball titles in history, with eight championships, trailing only UCLA. The expectations for the program are high, and Pope will have the challenge of maintaining and building upon Kentucky’s legacy of success.
If Mark Pope is indeed hired as the new head coach at Kentucky, he will be stepping into a prestigious role with high expectations. Pope’s coaching experience at BYU and Utah Valley, coupled with his playing background, will bring a unique perspective and skill set to the Wildcats program. As he transitions into this new role, Pope will be tasked with continuing Kentucky’s tradition of excellence in college basketball and leading the team back to deep NCAA Tournament runs. The potential hiring of Pope signals a new era for Kentucky basketball, and fans will be eager to see how he navigates the challenges and opportunities that come with coaching at such a historic program.
