Mark Pope, a former BYU basketball coach, has been named the new head coach of Kentucky men’s basketball. He signed a five-year contract to lead the Wildcats after spending the past five seasons coaching at BYU. At 51 years old, Pope brings with him an impressive coaching record and a deep understanding of what the Kentucky program means to the state.
As a former captain of the 1996 championship team, Pope is well-respected and beloved both as a player and a coach. His up-tempo offense, strong recruiting skills, and commitment to integrity make him an ideal choice to lead the Wildcats.
Pope’s connection to Kentucky goes back to his days as a player under Rick Pitino. He won a national title in 1996 and is now only the second coach, after Joe B. Hall, to coach the men’s team after playing for the program. Pope’s success as a head coach at BYU, where he posted an 110-52 record over five seasons with two NCAA tournament berths, makes him a strong candidate to restore Kentucky’s dominance in college basketball.
Kentucky had several high-profile coaches turn down their job offers during the hiring process including Dan Hurley, Nate Oats, Scott Drew, Billy Donovan and Jay Wright but are confident that Mark Pope is the right choice to lead them back to success in NCAA tournament with his experience coaching style and commitment to program.
