“To even play at Kentucky is a dream come true for myself and a lot of guys up here. We’re grateful for him (Mark Pope) to bring us here and to bring us something that we may not have experienced before this year and really, just really grateful, honestly.” Lamont Butler, following the loss to Tennessee, credited the HC in the press conference for the current season’s success. Despite the loss, the players are already doing the bidding for the coach to build the foundation for next year.
Before the end of the press conference, the 22-year-old point guard was upbeat about the future of the program. “Can I say something? I think it’s really cool we were able to set the culture for Pope’s first year. And people have to come in and the bar going to be set high for the next people who come under Pope. It’s gonna be fun to watch for sure,” said Butler. Even teammate Andrew Carr chimed in, echoing the same sentiment.
“If you’re in the transfer portal and looking for a place to go, go to Kentucky. I’ll tell you that much. Go to Kentucky.” The players backing Mark Pope despite spending only one season with him demonstrate their trust in the coach. In fact, when it came to consoling the 52-year-old, Butler was not far behind. He was walking behind Pope, saw his crestfallen coach put his face in his hands.
The senior guard knew what to do. No words, just put his arm around and embraced the first-year coach as their run in the big dance came to an end. After two victories in the NCAA Tournament, No. 3 Kentucky lost to No. 2 Tennessee. The Vols ended up winning with a 78-65 scoreline and are marching towards the Elite Eight.
Has Mark Pope identified his next Wildcat?
Once John Calipari left for Arkansas last season, the 52-year-old was the apparent heir of Kentucky. A former player for the prestigious program, this was his first March Madness run with his alma mater as a head coach. Mark Pope, who played two seasons for the Wildcats in the 1990s, experienced a low with an Elite Eight defeat. Plus, the highs of winning the national championship during his time with the Big Blue Nation.
Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope hypes up the crowd during Big Blue Madness on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024 at Rupp Arena.
To make the second year of coaching more successful, Mark Pope is up for the transfer portal task. “You’re recruiting guys that aren’t just trying to learn the college game. They’re trying to fine-tune the college game,” Pope said during his call-in show Monday night.“Because our style of play is almost easier for us to go pick out those guys that actually have the skill set that translates to what we do.”
As per reports by Matt Jones of KSR, the Cats will be involved with sharpshooter Lamar Wilkerson, who lit up Conference USA with 21 points per game while shooting a blistering 45% from three. At 6-foot-5, Wilkerson’s ability to stretch the floor makes him an ideal candidate for Pope’s three-point-heavy offense. Another player is Robert Morris forward Alvaro Folgueiras, the reigning Horizon League Player of the Year. The 6-foot-9 Spaniard brings versatility to the table, averaging 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists and shooting 41% from deep.
With the season done, the task continues for Mark Pope and co. Back to the drawing board, and the board might have too many options. Since, on the first day alone, the transfer portal had over 700 players—more than double last year’s total. Will the reported players come in? Or, hearing the plea of current stars, some unexpected move happens for the Wildcats. Only time will tell.
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