Kentucky is poised to name BYU coach Mark Pope as its new men’s basketball coach following the departures of Scott Drew and Dan Hurley. Negotiations between Kentucky and Pope progressed swiftly on Thursday, with an agreement expected to be finalized by the end of the day.
Pope has been offered a lucrative five-year deal averaging $5.5 million per season, excluding incentives, to take over from John Calipari, who recently left for Arkansas after 15 years at Kentucky.
While Pope’s selection might not have been the expected choice, given Kentucky’s esteemed basketball history, he has strong ties to the university as an alumnus. Having played on the 1995-96 championship team, Pope has long desired to return to his alma mater.
With nine years of Division I coaching experience, four at Utah Valley and five at BYU, Pope boasts a career record of 187-108, including a 110-52 mark at BYU. Despite two NCAA Tournament losses, Pope led BYU to a No. 6 seed in this year’s tournament.
Pope emerged as the preferred candidate over other notable names like Billy Donovan and Rick Pitino, with athletic director Mitch Barnhart focusing his pursuit on Pope after Hurley declined consideration.
Known for his high-energy coaching style, Pope has garnered support from former players and is praised for his innovative on-court strategies. His BYU teams consistently ranked in the top 20 at KenPom, and he achieved success with a revamped roster and offensive approach in the past season, securing 23 wins and a top-15 offense.
If appointed, Pope would join Joe B. Hall as one of the few individuals to both play for and coach the Kentucky men’s basketball team since 1930, following in the footsteps of Hall of Famer Adolph Rupp. An official announcement is expected once Barnhart finalizes the contract, marking a significant milestone for Pope in landing his dream job.
