BYU coach Mark Pope is in negotiations with Kentucky to potentially succeed John Calipari, as reported by multiple outlets on Thursday night. Pope, a former player on Kentucky's 1996 national championship team and co-captain for two seasons, is reportedly close to finalizing a deal according to CBS Sports and ESPN, both citing anonymous sources.
Earlier on Thursday, Scott Drew announced via social media that he would be staying with Baylor, removing himself from consideration for the Wildcats' head coaching position. Another candidate, UConn’s Dan Hurley, who recently led the Huskies to their second consecutive national title, also declined the opportunity to coach at Kentucky.
John Calipari stepped down from his position after 15 years, stating that the program needed a 'different voice.' Calipari has since been hired as the head coach for Arkansas.
Mark Pope, aged 51, has an impressive coaching record with a 110-52 record in five seasons at BYU, leading the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances, including this season where BYU finished with a 23-11 record while competing in the Big 12 Conference for the first time. Prior to coaching at BYU, Pope had a successful tenure at Utah Valley, going 77-52 in four seasons after serving as an assistant at Wake Forest and Georgia.
During his playing days at Kentucky, Pope averaged 6.3 rebounds per game in the 1994-95 season and was named to the Southeastern Conference All-Tournament team alongside MVP Antoine Walker. Following his college career, Pope played in the NBA from 1998 to 2005 with the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Denver Nuggets.
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