Kentucky nearing deal to land BYU’s Mark Pope as next head coach after tumultuous search

According to multiple reports, the University of Kentucky (UK) is in advanced negotiations with Brandon "Mark" Pope, current head coach of Brigham Young University (BYU), to become the Wildcats' next men's basketball coach. This news comes after a tumultuous coaching search following the departure of John Calipari, who led UK to eight SEC regular-season titles and five SEC Tournament championships during his tenure from 2009 to 2021.

Mark Pope, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, played an integral role in UK's 1996 NCAA championship team under legendary coach Rick Pitino. After his playing career ended, he began his coaching journey at his alma mater, Tulane University, in 2003. He spent seven seasons there before moving on to Utah Valley University in 2010. In his second season at Utah Valley, he led the team to a WAC regular-season title and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

In 2015, Pope joined BYU as an assistant coach under Dave Rose. When Rose retired in March 2019, Pope was named interim head coach. He was officially appointed as the permanent head coach in April 2019. During his tenure at BYU, he has led the Cougars to back-to-back 20-win seasons and two NIT appearances (2020 and 2021).

The University of Kentucky's coaching search began in March 2021 when Calipari announced his departure to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an assistant coach. Since then, several high-profile candidates have been linked to the position, including former UK player and current Memphis Tigers head coach Penny Hardaway, former Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski, and current Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. However, none of these candidates materialized, leaving Pope as the leading candidate.

The potential hiring of Pope would mark a return to UK for a former championship player and coach, generating excitement among Wildcats fans. However, the deal is not yet official, and both parties are expected to finalize terms before an announcement can be made.

In summary, Kentucky is in advanced negotiations with former UK player and current BYU head coach Mark Pope to become the Wildcats' next men's basketball coach following a tumultuous search. Pope played an essential role in UK's 1996 NCAA championship team and has had success as a head coach at BYU. The deal is not yet official but is expected to be finalized soon.