Mark Pope returns to Kentucky basketball as John Calipari’s successor. Here’s what to know
LEXINGTON — A new era of Kentucky basketball is set to begin. UK hired one of its former players, Mark Pope, as its next coach on Friday.
Pope, who recently completed his fifth season at BYU, replaces John Calipari. After a 15-season run with the Wildcats, Calipari left for the same position at rival SEC school Arkansas.
Pope became the primary target for the job after a pair of coaches with national titles in their back pocket turned down the chance to coach UK.
It started with Baylor coach Scott Drew, who removed himself from consideration Thursday, restating his loyalty to the Bears in a note posted on social media. Later that day, UConn’s Dan Hurley, leader of the to back-to-back national champions, also reportedly relayed to Kentucky he wouldn’t be heading to Lexington.
In his five seasons with the Cougars, Pope tallied a 110-52 (.679) record. He helped the Cougars navigate their transition from the West Coast Conference to the Big 12. During the 2023-24 season, BYU’s first as a Big 12 school, it went 10-8, tying for fifth. The Cougars went 1-1 in the Big 12 Tournament, falling to Texas Tech in the quarterfinals. They exited in the first round of NCAA Tournament, losing to Duquesne, 71-67.
