Kentucky introduces Mark Pope as new head basketball coach
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – It was no ordinary press conference as Rupp Arena was completely packed to welcome the 23rd basketball coach in UK history.
The atmosphere felt like game day at Rupp. It looked like a sold out arena as they introduced the new head man for the Cats, Mark Pope.
Pope entered to a hero’s welcome, similar to when he stepped off the bus after the 1996 National Championship.
“I can say this,” Pope said to the jam-packed stadium, “BBN rallies, man. BBN rallies in a big way.”
Pope is no stranger to Big Blue Nation and he knows what it means to wear that UK uniform.
And he knows why Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart hired him.
“I understand the assignment,” he said. “We are here to win banners.”
“It was from his heart,” Barnhart said about his new hire. “He’s passionate and if you can’t listen to that guy and get fired up to play, I don’t know.”
It was a who’s who of former UK greats in the crowd and they were more than proud to see one of their own now on the Kentucky sideline.
“He’s lived this dream. He’s played this dream,” Winston Bennet said. “He’s going to be the one that resurrects this dream for us.”
“All of the things he talks about, they’re not just words,” Jeff Sheppard chimed in. “It’s how Mark lives.”
“He said his assignment is to do what? Win,” Derek Anderson added. “He understands that and we’re going to support him no matter what.”
Now that the pomp and circumstance are out of the way, Pope must get to work. He says the goal here is to win championships and he’ll start work on that immediately as he’s already in on just about every name in the transfer portal.
