Mark Pope Officially Becomes UK's 23rd Basketball Coach

[Joneslab]

If you listen to how Armando Bacot talked about North Carolina you got a good taste of what Kentucky has been missing.

Just getting players to return isn't enough. They have to be good players and they have to be winners. And they have to be coached.

But purging ourselves of the "Well, he should go because if he doesn't he's losing money" syndrome is going to be a big deal. That crap has to stop.

[Spiritof96]

If you listen to how Armando Bacot talked about North Carolina you got a good taste of what Kentucky has been missing.

Just getting players to return isn't enough. They have to be good players and they have to be winners. And they have to be coached.

But purging ourselves of the "Well, he should go because if he doesn't he's losing money" syndrome is going to be a big deal. That crap has to stop.

QFT to infinity.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Rick Pitino endorses Pope, says he will write a check for NIL to assist 😆 🤣

People in New York about to put a hit out on Rick..

[Westtncat]

I'm excited about this hire to be honest. Better record than Cal last give years. Runs a good offense. Give him some talent and the sky Is the limit. He wants to be here.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I'm excited about this hire to be honest. Better record than Cal last give years. Runs a good offense. Give him some talent and the sky Is the limit. He wants to be here.

I am at peace with it as well.

[Pobilly]

Like others said, not the first choice. My thought is this might be the best choice. Pope is high energy, he loves KENTUCKY, playing style we will love. Donors are back on line with helping our team, excitement is coming back quicker than I thought it would. I was up last night reading all the message boards. I was dumbfounded to start off but within 10 minutes I had started defending Pope (met Mark at Final 4 in 97) he was giving me a ton of inside info between Saturday night and Monday night. He is extremely smart, he is motivated, he will do good here. He now has over 4 mil in NIL to help build this team. I am anxious to see who the coaching hires will be and how quickly he fills them. Will he try for Kenny Payne, will he bring in one of his assistants (one has already accepted a head coaching job). Can his relationship with the Sheppard's keep Reed here another year? Can Mark talk Adou back. Can he appeal to Big Z (show film of his 6 11 guys hitting 3 this year). Will be fun to see.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Winston Bennett 🔥

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/FNVdcabmpigo8EKe/?mibextid=oFDknk

[George]

This is what some of y’all are excited about?

https://www.tiktok.com/@cbssportscbb/video/7357043096053386538?_t=8lTa8KLvcQo&_r=1

[Jody Porter]

Yes, I'm very excited. He's our guy. He's gonna have money. It's easier to win at Kentucky than Utah Valley and BYU. Every coach (except Billy) that UK has ever hired (since Rupp) has out-performed their previous results at their prior head coaching stops. And this is a guy that truly loves Kentucky and knows what it means to compete here. Have never hired a guy like that in my lifetime, except maybe Tubby. And that might be a stretch.

[Lighthouse]

I'm getting more excited every minute. To have a Coach who loves and respects the Kentucky Basketball Program and its Tradition, is new to me and nearly all Kentucky Fans. It's been missing a few years. Welcome back Mark Pope. Bring us back.to prominence.

[Joneslab]

Gotta hope for a Tubby Smith sort of jump from Pope.

We hired Tubby after he'd finished 4th in the SEC and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Usually guys are different behind the UK tradition. But some are not--see Gillispie, Billy.

[George]

I'm getting more excited every minute. To have a Coach who loves and respects the Kentucky Basketball Program and its Tradition, is new to me and nearly all Kentucky Fans. It's been missing a few years. Welcome back Mark Pope. Bring us back.to prominence.

Nine years in D1 with nothing to show for it. Nine years!

That’s what we just hired.

[Joneslab]

Nine years in D1 with nothing to show for it. Nine years!

That’s what we just hired.

The flipside of this is that you've got a guy who could completely build his legacy here. Completely.

That's exciting. Risky but exciting.

It's what I loved about the Gillispie hire back in the day. I know it's bad juju to say that, but one of the things I used to talk about was how Gillispie was almost a blank slate and he could build himself at UK.

One of the things we just "got rid" of was a coach who'd hit such a monumental wall that he literally was not coaching. I mean these last two or three teams have been almost literally uncoached. What you have to hope with Pope is that the fire and intensity he has + UK's clout will push him to greatness.

[largebluej]

Per Barnhart, the public press conference and introduction will probably be on Sunday in Rupp Arena.

I'd definitely go if it wasn't on a bad day for me. Sort of wish it was tomorrow and I'd drive down.

You best believe I'd come away from there with a Mark Pope t-shirt. I mean put that in the dang bank.

I'm thinking about going. Depends what time Sunday. I have a blue 41 Kentucky jersey from Pope's day. Damn thing shrunk, haven't worn it in years😉. If I I'll take and see if maybe I can get him to sign it.

[justafan]

If you’re a player you have to be excited about running this offense:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yatw8jGCJs