Mark Pope looks to veterans and being himself as he adapts to coaching Kentucky after John Calipari
FILE -Mark Pope speaks to fans and media after being named Kentucky men's NCAA college basketball head coach in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, April 14, 2024. Mark Pope looks to veterans and being himself as he adapts to coaching Kentucky after John Calipari. (AP Photo/James Crisp, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/James Crisp]
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Mark Pope won a national championship as a Kentucky player and is using that knowledge for the more challenging task of coaching Kentucky after John Calipari. The Hall of Famer’s departure to Arkansas left huge voids for Pope to fill with players and coaches, which he has done with experienced veterans through the transfer portal. That’s the obvious difference from Calipari’s reliance on talented underclassmen, and next spring will answer how well it’s going for Pope at his alma mater. Kentucky’s roster features six fifth-year players and one senior, junior and sophomore each.
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