Mark Pope, a Kentucky alum who played on the 1995-96 championship team, is nearing an agreement to become the next men’s basketball coach at Kentucky. After Scott Drew and Dan Hurley turned down offers, discussions between Kentucky and Pope quickly progressed on Thursday afternoon. Sources indicate that an agreement is expected to be reached by the end of Thursday night.
Pope has been offered a five-year contract averaging $5.5 million per year before incentives. He will be replacing John Calipari, who recently left for Arkansas after 15 years at Kentucky. Pope has nine years of head coaching experience at the D-I level, with four years at Utah Valley and the most recent five at BYU. He has a career record of 187-108, with a 110-52 record at BYU. Despite being 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament, Pope was selected over other notable candidates like Billy Donovan and Rick Pitino. His dynamic coaching style and support from former players made him a favorite in the eyes of athletic director Mitch Barnhart.
If the deal is finalized, Pope will join Joe B. Hall as the only Kentucky men’s basketball coach to have played for the program before coaching it. Pope’s roster strategy and offensive philosophy changes this past season led to 23 wins and a top-15 offense in college basketball. His high-energy approach to coaching is known for its fun, fast-paced system that has resulted in top-20 rankings for his teams at KenPom.
An official announcement is anticipated on Friday after Barnhart approves the contract
