He did all of that despite the built-in restrictions that come with trying to lure basketball players to BYU as opposed to a place like Arkansas or Kentucky. Yet, even though he’s also a former captain of a Kentucky national championship team, the Lexington blue bloods are acting like their AD just went out and hired basketball Chad Morris.
The hate elicited by Kentucky fans about Pope’s hiring is extreme. It’s created so much desperation in the past 24 hours.
First, Pope put out a video of himself ripping off his clothes to show Wildcats fans how excited and bought in he is to be coaching his alma mater. Then, Rick Pitino, who helped Pope bring that national title to Kentucky as his coach, filmed a video from Mike Anderson’s old office at St. John’s begging fans to believe in Pope.
“What special day for the University of Kentucky. The leader, the captain of the Untouchables is coming home to lead the Wildcats. A lot of people out there talk about Jay Wright, Danny Hurley, Billy Donovan. They all had their trials and tribulations as well early on, but Mark Pope went into the went into the Big 12 this year, beat Kansas at Kansas, beat Baylor at home, and in his first year got to the NCAA.
Mark Pope, offensively, no one does it better. The way his teams move, the way his teams shoot the three, the ball movement, the player movement is outstanding. What you don’t realize, it took Jay Wright 11 years to finally get an NCAA win. Billy Donovan was at Marshall for two years, didn’t have an NCAA appearance. He went on to greatness. Mark Pope will go on to greatness. You can put it down.
He’s not only a Rhodes Scholar candidate, but I remember as if it’s yesterday, John Pelphrey getting misty eyes in my first year as a basketball coach in Kentucky. Every time he put on the uniform, he was near tears and I said to him ‘John, what is with you every time you put that uniform on?’ He said ‘Coach, you just don’t understand what this means to all of us from Kentucky.’ Well, I can guarantee you one thing, nobody, nobody epitomizes the name Kentucky on the front of the jersey more than Mark Pope.
What some of you don’t realize is how good a basketball mind he has. How much of a relentless recruiter he will be. Now recruiting is different today. We’re now coaching all pros. The NIL has has taken away amateur basketball and has made them professional athletes. I’m sure Kentucky’s going to have a strong NIL.
You have one of the premier young coaches in the game. Relish it because he will do you proud. I know I sit here today at St. John’s and I couldn’t be any more proud than to see Mark Pope lead to Kentucky Wildcats to another championship. He’ll get it done. He’s got the right stock. He’s got a beautiful family and he loves, absolutely loves, Kentucky across his chest. Get it done. Mark. I love you. You’re gonna do a fabulous job.”
Leave a Reply