It wasn't an easy decision, but when Mark Pope decided to return to coach his alma mater, he took on all the pressure of UK fandom.
When Mark Pope took over his alma mater's coaching job, he also took on all the pressure that comes with UK basketball. There was a moment, he admitted, after it was clear that he was Kentucky's choice, when he stood alone at home and grappled with apprehension about a job that offered both spoils he knew well and obstacles, too.
But on the day of his introductory news conference at Rupp Arena, it was hard not to consider the stakes. Once Pope descended the bus's steps on that Sunday in April, more than 15,000 fans -- many of whom had decided to embrace the hire only hours earlier -- rose and cheered for the captain of Kentucky's 1996 national title team and their new leader.Pope's former teammates reminded him of the task ahead just before he grabbed the microphone to reintroduce himself to the Kentucky fan base at his first news conference.
Pope's attention to detail and instruction carried him throughout his basketball journey. He had left Washington and transferred to Kentucky in 1994 after coach Lynn Nance had been fired following his second year with the program. His teammates quickly noticed his detailed approach, his upbeat demeanor and his willingness to work.
Added Pitino:"Every little thing that I would say, he would back it up to the team. He just had that quality of loyalty and leadership that made a team great. I've coached very few Mark Popes in my life." Just 24 hours later, Calipari announced he was leaving Kentucky to take the Arkansas job, which opened when Eric Musselman left for USC. Days after that random meetup, Pope emerged as an unlikely candidate for the Kentucky job.
Pope is not an outsider listening to cautionary tales about the Kentucky experience. He has lived it -- and loved it. Pope had the option to temper the anticipation after he accepted the gig. He never did. Pope has already begun to sculpt the program in his image and personality. By the end of his tenure, Calipari had left his news conferences to his assistants and mostly refused to do interviews with local and national outlets. After the 9-16 season in 2020-21 and three first-weekend exits in the NCAA tournament in three years, Calipari seemed to shut down.
It helped that Pope never rejected the doubters, which was one of his predecessor's strengths. In fact, shortly after Pope's arrival, a prominent booster was vocal about his disappointment in Kentucky's decision. Pope never flinched."We talked, and now he's one of our top supporters," Pope said.
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