Kentucky to hire Mark Pope: BYU coach and 1996 Wildcats player agrees to take over for John Calipari

Mark Pope, a former Kentucky Wildcats basketball player who was part of the team that won the National Championship in 1998, has agreed to become the next head coach of the University of Kentucky's men's basketball team, according to multiple reports. Pope, who has been the head coach of Brigham Young University (BYU) since 2019, will replace John Calipari, who announced his departure from Kentucky on March 28, 2023.

Pope's tenure at BYU has been marked by success, leading the Cougars to back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a 25-8 record in the 2022-2023 campaign, which saw them reach the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. Prior to his time at BYU, Pope served as an assistant coach at Utah State from 2015 to 2019, where he helped the Aggies reach the NCAA Tournament in each of his final three seasons.

As a player at Kentucky, Pope was a key contributor on the team that won the National Championship under head coach Rick Pitino during the 1997-1998 season. He averaged 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game during his senior year, helping lead the Wildcants to a 35-2 record and their second consecutive NCAA Championship.

After his playing career, Pope began his coaching journey as an assistant at his alma mater, Eastern Kentucky University, from 2000 to 2003. He then spent time as an assistant coach at Morehead State (2003-2005), Western Kentucky (2005-2007), and Louisville (2007-2015).

With his extensive experience as a player and coach, Pope is poised to bring a unique perspective to the Kentucky program. He will inherit a team that finished the 2022-2023 season with a 25-10 record, reaching the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament under Calipari. The Wildcats are expected to return several key players, including Oscar Tshiebwe, who was named the National Player of the Year by multiple organizations, and TyTy Washington, who was named the SEC Freshman of the Year.

The hiring of Pope marks a return to his alma mater for the former Wildcat standout, who will look to build on the success that Calipari brought to the program during his tenure, which included five SEC regular season titles, seven SEC Tournament titles, and six NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearances.

The University of Kentucky has not yet officially announced the hiring of Mark Pope, but multiple reports indicate that an announcement is imminent. The move comes after weeks of speculation about Calipari's future at Kentucky, with rumors of potential interest from other programs, including LSU and Texas.

In conclusion, Mark Pope, a former Kentucky Wildcats basketball player who was part of the team that won the National Championship in 1998, has agreed to become the next head coach of the University of Kentucky's men's basketball team. He has spent the past four seasons as the head coach of Brigham Young University, where he led the Cougars to back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament. As a player at Kentucky, Pope averaged 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game during his senior year, helping lead the Wildcats to their second consecutive NCAA Championship. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Eastern Kentucky University, and has also served stints at Utah State, Morehead State, Western Kentucky, and Louisville before taking over at BYU. The hiring of Pope marks a return to his alma mater, where he will look to build on the success that Calipari brought to the program during his tenure. The University of Kentucky has not yet officially announced the hiring of Mark Pope, but multiple reports indicate that an announcement is imminent.