Mark Pope returns to Kentucky basketball as John Calipari's successor. Here's what to know
LEXINGTON — A new era of Kentucky basketball is set to begin. UK hired one of its former players, Mark Pope, as its next coach on Friday.
Pope, who recently completed his fifth season at BYU, replaces John Calipari. After a 15-season run with the Wildcats, Calipari left for the same position at rival SEC school Arkansas.
Pope became the primary target for the job after a pair of coaches with national titles in their back pocket turned down the chance to coach UK.
It started with Baylor coach Scott Drew, who removed himself from consideration Thursday, restating his loyalty to the Bears in a note posted on social media. Later that day, UConn's Dan Hurley, leader of the to back-to-back national champions, also reportedly relayed to Kentucky he wouldn't be heading to Lexington.
In his five seasons with the Cougars, Pope tallied a 110-52 (.679) record. He helped the Cougars navigate their transition from the West Coast Conference to the Big 12. During the 2023-24 season, BYU's first as a Big 12 school, it went 10-8, tying for fifth. The Cougars went 1-1 in the Big 12 Tournament, falling to Texas Tech in the quarterfinals. They exited in the first round of NCAA Tournament, losing to Duquesne, 71-67.
Here's a look at BYU's season-by-season record during Pope's tenure:
2019-20: 24-8 (13-3 West Coast Conference)
2020-21: 20-7 (10-3 WCC)
2021-22: 24-11 (9-6 WCC)
2022-23: 19-15 (7-9 WCC)
2023-24: 23-11 (10-8 Big 12)
Here are three things to know about Pope, who will attempt to lead UK back to prominence in the month of March after failing to win an SEC Tournament title since 2018 and not advancing out of the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2019:
Mark Pope's coaching background, playing career
Pope spent two seasons at Washington as a player before transferring to Kentucky. After sitting out the 1993-94 season, Pope appeared in 69 games over his last two seasons at UK, which included being a member of the program's 1996 national title team. While in Lexington, he roomed with Jeff Sheppard, the father of future Wildcat Reed Sheppard.
Pope went on to play in the NBA before enrolling in medical school at Columbia.
But he couldn't shake the basketball itch.
He was Georgia's director of basketball operations for the 2009-10 season before being hired as a Wake Forest assistant. Pope spent the 2010-11 campaign with the Demon Deacons before leaving for the same job at BYU.
In 2015, he received his first head coaching opportunity, taking over Utah Valley's program. Pope went 77-56 in four seasons with the Wolverines before returning to Provo, Utah, to become BYU's coach in 2019.
Though Pope has won more than 100 games with the Cougars, a March Madness triumph isn't among that total.
He joins UK in search of his first NCAA Tournament win as a head coach, sporting an 0-2 record in two all-time appearances.
Mark Pope's salary, BYU buyout
Per the USA TODAY Sports' coaching salary database, Pope's pay for the 2023-24 season isn't known. The same goes for any buyout figure UK would be on the books for.
As a private university, BYU is not subject to the same federal-tax filing laws as public schools.
According to CBS Sports senior writer Matt Norlander, Pope's contract with Kentucky reportedly will be a five-year deal paying $5.5 million per season.
Mark Pope's BYU roster, 2024 recruiting class
Offensive balance defined BYU's 2023-24 roster, boasting four players with a double-digit scoring average and three more above 9.0: Jaxson Robinson (14.2), Fousseyni Traore (10.9), Trevin Knell (10.6), Spencer Johnson (10.3), Richie Saunders (9.6), Noah Waterman (9.5) and Dallin Hall (9.0).
The Cougars attempted 32.0 3-pointers per game last season, which ranked second in Division I (North Florida, 33.2). BYU also ranked among the country's top 10 in 3-pointers made per game (11.1; third), assists per game (18.5; third), bench points per game (33.5; fifth) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.73; sixth).
The Cougars finished last season 18th in KenPom's ratings — five spots ahead of the Wildcats.
One BYU player has entered the transfer portal since the season ended: freshman Marcus Adams Jr., who appeared in just one game in 2023-24.
Pope had two players committed for the Cougars' 2024 recruiting class: three-star guard Brooks Bahr and three-star power forward Isaac Davis. BYU's two-prospect class was No. 60 nationally, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Mark Pope Kentucky salary info and coaching record with BYU basketball
