A Sweet 16 run. A $250,000 raise. A dream return to Lexington. On paper, Mark Pope’s first year at Kentucky reads like a win. But college basketball is a game of momentum, and just when Pope seemed to be building his, it was gone in a flash. In the aftermath of a humbling 78–65 loss to the Tennessee Vols, the Wildcats’ postseason came to a screeching halt — and so did the faith of one of their most prized recruits.
According to College Basketball Report on X, “High 4 PG Acaden Lewis has decommitted from Kentucky.” It’s a move that stings more than the Sweet 16 exit itself. Pope, whose contract was automatically extended through 2029–30 following the tournament run, earned a $50,000 bonus for guiding Kentucky to the second weekend.
That triggered a $250,000 salary boost in the final year of his now $6.25 million deal. But as the confetti settles on another missed Final Four, that cash cushion feels cold next to the gut-punch of losing a top-25 ESPN prospect — the 7th-ranked point guard in the nation.
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