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5 questions with Kentucky’s Mark Pope

Mark Pope is living his dream. 28 years after he won a national title as a player with Kentucky in 1996, the 52-year old coach is just weeks away from his first game as the head coach of his alma mater. I caught up with Pope this week in Lexington to discuss how his life has changed since the spring, the Wildcats’ prognosis for the 2024-25 season, and much more.

Jon Rothstein: What’s the biggest way that your life has changed in the last six months?

Mark Pope: It’s changed in a lot of ways. I think the surprising thing is that it’s pretty much the same. We’re working as hard as we can every single day. I get to coach unbelievable young men. The quality of human beings on this roster is spectacular and we get to do it at the mecca of the basketball world. There’s a lot of things that are similar to coaching at any level anywhere, but when you add that it’s at the flagship program of basketball at any level, it makes it different.

Rothstein: You haven’t coached a game yet, but from what you’ve endured so far, what’s the biggest difference in being Kentucky’s head coach versus being BYU’s head coach?

Pope: They’re both incredible jobs. BYU is a really, really special place and it’s one of the great programs in the country. The standard at Kentucky is different than anywhere else. The standard is perfection. That’s a beautiful thing for a competitor. Kentucky is not a place where you rebuild. At Kentucky, you put a great product on the floor — that’s the expectation. Operating in that environment and still keeping a huge growth component to all of that — where there’s no room for error — that’s one of the great things about coaching at Kentucky. I lived it as a player and now I get to live it as a coach. There’s no place in the world I’d rather be.

Rothstein: What are the early impressions you have regarding the team that you’re about to coach?

Pope: We’ve got a bunch of veteran guys, but it’s their first time ever playing together. We don’t have a single player that’s played with another player on this team before. We don’t have a single player that’s worn a Kentucky jersey before. But we’ve got veteran guys that are all about the team. It’s been incredible to watch them all grow over the summer and the bond that they’re forming is really, really important.

Rothstein: Who specifically has stood out to you?

Pope: Everybody has had their moments and that’s kind of the complexion of this team. Lamont Butler has stepped in and been an incredible leader. Kerr Kriisa brings incredible juice and reckless swagger to the team. And Otega Oweh has been spectacular. Jaxson Robinson is obviously a proven player at the college level. Koby Brea and our bigs — Brandon Garrison and Amari Williams — have been unbelievable. Andrew Carr has been the most efficient player on our team and Ansley Almonor has added something to our team too. And I haven’t even gotten to the freshmen. Collin Chandler — who hasn’t touched a ball in maybe two years — has had a cautious, meticulous return to play, but he’s making plays that are spectacular right now. And our two Kentucky kids — Trent Noah and Travis Perry — I can’t imagine two kids making more strides watching them from the first time that they walk into the gym until now. Those kids will have a massive impact on our team. All 12 of those guys have all had moments where they’ve stepped up and been great. 

Rothstein: What do you think it’s going to be like for you emotionally when you wake up on the first morning of your first game at Rupp Arena? 

Pope: It’s going to be just like every day. Every day is a “first something” here as a coach. It’s everything that you think it is. It’s where my whole heart is. I love this place. I love the University of Kentucky because of how this place changed my life. I love the University of Kentucky because of the people here and the fans and the experiences and the administrators. I am a full fledged member of BBN (Big Blue Nation), which is what’s super cool about having the chance to coach here. And I love it because it’s the flagship program in college basketball. It’s the highest standard. 

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