Kentucky nearing deal with Mark Pope to replace John Calipari, per reports

Mark Pope, currently the head men's basketball coach at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, is reportedly on the verge of being named as the next head coach of the University of Kentucky's (UK) men's basketball team. This news comes after John Calipari, who has led UK's program since 2009, announced on March 22, 2023, that he would be stepping down and joining the Arkansas Razorbacks as their new head coach.

Calipari's tenure at UK was marked by significant success, including one national championship in 2012 and six SEC regular-season titles. However, in his most recent statement, he expressed his belief that it was time for new leadership in Lexington.

As for Mark Pope, he has been the head coach of BYU's men's basketball team since 2019. Prior to that, he spent 11 years as an assistant coach under Dave Rose and then Tyler Haws at BYU. Pope's coaching career began in 2004 as an assistant coach at Southern Utah University.

The agreement between Kentucky and Pope is not yet official, but multiple sources have confirmed that negotiations are progressing positively. Once finalized, Pope will inherit a UK program that has consistently been among the top teams in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and college basketball as a whole under Calipari's leadership.

The Wildcats have produced numerous NBA draft picks and All-Americans during Calipari's tenure, and expectations will be high for Pope as he takes over this storied program. The 42-year-old coach will have the challenge of maintaining the success that UK fans have become accustomed to while also making the program his own.

Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.