Mark Pope Says The Best Coaching Job In All Of Basketball Is Obvious

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Mark Pope Says The Best Coaching Job In All Of Basketball Is Obvious

Originally posted on The Spun | By Hunter Hodies | Last updated Feb 11, 2025 2:55 PM ET

Mark Pope is enjoying his first season as Kentucky men's basketball head coach.

He has won 16 of 23 games and has the Wildcats as the No. 15 team in the country heading into Tuesday's showdown against the Tennessee Volunteers. It's a big game since the Vols come in as the fifth-best team in the country with a 20-4 record.

Pope took over for John Calipari during the offseason after Calipari left for Arkansas and he wants the country to know that Kentucky is still the best coaching job in college basketball.

“Imagine that in whatever field you’re in, that the greatest job possible in that field is the one that you get to have. That’s how I feel. Just to me on a personal level, and maybe objectively, it’s the greatest job in all of basketball at any level," Pope said to ESPN's Matt Barrie, via On3.

Pope has the Wildcats gunning for another berth in the NCAA Tournament and hopes to take them far. The Wildcats have struggled in the NCAA Tournament over the last several seasons and haven't made it to at least the Sweet 16 since the 2018-19 season.

They have lost in the first or second round in three of the last four NCAA Tournaments. Assuming they don't collapse down the stretch of this season, they'll have a shot to earn a high seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Before taking the Wildcats' job, Pope was the head coach for the BYU Cougars for five seasons and led them to the NCAA Tournament two times. He also coached the Utah Valley Wolverines for four seasons.

He has a 203-115 overall record through almost 10 years of coaching.

Tip-off for Tuesday's Vols-Wildcats game will be at 7 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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