When Kentucky hosted its annual Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena to introduce the Mark Pope era, there was one familiar face in the crowd—Rick Pitino. The Hall of Famer, who led the Wildcats to their 1996 national championship, made a surprise appearance to show support for his former player-turned-head coach.
“I am so happy to be back,” Pitino told the crowd, soaking in the moment. But he didn’t stop there. He turned his attention to Pope, offering the highest praise possible: “The most selfless, humble young man I’ve ever coached.” For Kentucky fans, those words meant everything. If anyone knew what it took to win in Lexington, it was Pitino. And if he believed in Pope, maybe the program was in good hands after all.
Pope, too, of course, has nothing but admiration for his former coach. After all, one of his most enduring lessons came from Pitino—on the biggest stage of his career. It was the morning of the national championship game. The Kentucky Wildcats were about to face Syracuse for the biggest prize in college basketball, and Mark Pope was ready for something epic.
Rick Pitino, their fiery, legendary coach, was known for pre-game speeches that could set a building on fire, metaphorically, of course. So Pope readied himself, expecting words that would make them want to storm onto the court like a squadron charging into battle.
“This is the time. Coach is going to bring out the greatest speech ever. He’s going to get us all riled up.” Instead, Pitino leaned back casually and said: “Oh, we put in the film.” That was it? No yelling? No “Win one for the ages!”? Not even a dramatic pause?
Mark Pope says he’s prepared to coach Kentucky in the postseason after playing for Rick Pitino
“Coach had this beautiful way of just normalizing the moment. … We understand that every game we play is the biggest game we’re gonna play.”https://t.co/a7tAsICvD6 pic.twitter.com/GMZYhR2n8y
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) March 11, 2025
Turns out that was all they needed. Kentucky won the title, and Pitino’s understated approach left an impression on Pope that would last nearly three decades.
“Coach had this beautiful way of normalizing the moment,” Pope recalled. “All the prep work had been done every single game leading up to that game, and it became a habit to treat every game like it was the biggest game we would ever play.”
Now, in 2025, Pope is bringing that same philosophy to his own Kentucky squad. The lesson? Sometimes, you don’t need the dramatic, Oscar-worthy halftime speeches. And that’s why Cat’s historic feat under Pope wasn’t a surprise for Pitino. “I knew they had it in them,” he said after the game.
To be fair, Pitino has been right about a lot of things. Except maybe that one solid-white suit choice in the early 2000s, but we all made mistakes back then. “Coach Pitino is really personal to me,” Pope once said. “If you think about your life, you count on one hand the people that really, really, really changed you.”
Now, just imagine a Kentucky vs. St. John’s matchup. Pitino, now coaching St. John’s, versus his former player, Pope. That would be a full-circle moment worthy of a primetime slot. But if it does happen, don’t expect any big, dramatic speeches from Pope beforehand. He might just walk in and say, “Oh, we put in the film.” And if history repeats itself, that might just be enough.
But before that, Pope’s got a lot to prove.
March Madness or March Misery? Mark Pope’s defining moment awaits!
The Wildcats finished the season with a 21-10 record, notching key wins over No. 1 Duke, Tennessee, and Gonzaga. However, their SEC Tournament run was cut short in the quarterfinals after a 69-65 loss to Oklahoma. Despite the early exit, their strong regular season solidified their spot in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky is now projected to land a No. 3 seed, setting the stage for Pope’s biggest challenge yet.
For all the success he’s had in the regular season, March Madness hasn’t been kind to Mark Pope. In nine seasons as a head coach at Utah Valley and BYU, he has yet to win a single NCAA Tournament game. He’s earned two bids (2021 and 2024), but both ended in one-and-done exits. His conference tournament record isn’t much better, sitting at 8-9 across three different leagues.
NCAA, College League, USA Basketball: South Carolina at Kentucky Feb 8, 2025 Lexington, Kentucky, USA Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with guard Otega Oweh 00 during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Lexington Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center Kentucky USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJordanxPratherx 20250208_sns_li0_00184
That’s been the one knock against him. But now, at Kentucky—a program built on championship expectations—he has a chance to change that narrative. At SEC Media Day, Pope didn’t hesitate to credit Pitino for shaping him into the coach he is today. “He gave me confidence I didn’t even know I had. He altered my worldview, and I owe a lot to him.”
Now, it’s time for Pope to prove he belongs. He’s got the talent. He’s got the experience. And, thanks to a lesson from 28 years ago, he’s got the mindset. Now, it’s up to the Wildcats to write the next chapter.
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