Mark Pope formally introduced as next UK Men’s Basketball Head Coach

Posted by author April 14, 2024 Basketball

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – In front of a nearly full Rupp Arena crowd, Mark Pope was formally reintroduced to the Big Blue Nation Sunday. The National Champion player returns to his alma mater, hoping to win one as a coach, becoming just the 8th man to hold the position in the modern era of college basketball.

“There are programs that don’t get this kind of crowd for five games. UK is here for a press conference, that is awesome. That is awesome,” said UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart.

Pope came in to the arena with a bus full of former Kentucky basketball players from all eras. He exited holding the 1996 National Championship trophy.

“Every coach in America at every other job in America stands up at the press conference and they try and moderate expectations. We don’t do that here at Kentucky,” Pope said to cheers. “When Mitch [Barnhart] called me and talked to me about being the head coach here at Kentucky, I understand the assignment. We are here to win banners. And as we go through this journey, we’re here to win banners in Nashville, because you guys turn out in Nashville like nobody else and that matters. And we are here, our job here, our assignment is to go win banners in the Final Four, win national championships. That’s our job.”

Pope added that he has been talking with the current roster, as well as players in the transfer portal. All but four UK scholarship players from 2023-24 have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal or the 2024 NBA Draft.