Sources report that Kentucky is set to hire BYU coach Mark Pope as its next men’s basketball coach. The deal was quickly reached on Thursday afternoon after rejections from Baylor’s Scott Drew and UConn’s Dan Hurley. With a five-year contract averaging $5.5 million per season, Pope has been eager for an opportunity to return to his alma mater.
Pope played for Kentucky’s championship team in 1995-96 and has nine years of D-I head coaching experience, the past five at BYU. With a career record of 187-108, including a 110-52 mark at BYU, Pope has proven himself as a successful coach. Despite being winless in the NCAA Tournament, his coaching style and energy were significant factors in his selection over other notable candidates like Billy Donovan and Rick Pitino.
Pope’s appointment as Kentucky’s head coach would make him only the second person in the program’s history, after Joe B. Hall, to have played for Kentucky and gone on to coach the team. His official announcement on Friday marks the beginning of a dream job for Pope, fulfilling his aspirations to lead the Wildcats on the court.
