Pope Knows Strength of Program is Generations of Players and Coaches

Vicky Graff Photo

Less than a week before John Calipari stepped down as coach at Kentucky, Mark Pope joined in on a conversation with Calipari and Tubby Smith earlier this month at the Final Four in Arizona.

“I walked into the lounge at the hotel and Cal and Tubby were sitting there talking,” Pope said during an appearance in the Paul Finebaum Show Monday on the SEC Network. “Both of those coaches have been incredibly gracious to me throughout my career. I have so much love in my heart for both of them.

“It was also fun to corner two of the great coaches to coach at the University of Kentucky, my alma mater. So I literally walked up to them, sat down and fanboy the picture.”

Little did any of the three know, Pope would be sitting in the same seat Calipari and Smith sat in at Kentucky less than a week later.

“The three of us were sitting there and not one of us, I’m guessing, had any concept of the possibility of what would ensue over the next 24 hours and 96 hours,” he said “That moment will be really special to me because of the tradition at Kentucky, it’s tying the generations together, generation to generation, that I think is one of the things that sets us apart.

“Every single coach, from Cal to to Tubby to Coach P to Joe B., you know, and then every single player from all those generations and before, is really the strength of this program.”

Also Monday, Pope announced the hiring of his first assistant coach, Cody Fueger, who has spent the past 11 seasons with Pope at Utah Valley State and BYU.

“Cody is one of the most innovative offensive minds in all of college basketball,” Pope said. “He has a grounded, wild creativity that is pushing the envelope in how this game is growing. He has been the most loyal friend who has delivered in massive ways for our team.”

Jason Hart ,  a nine-year NBA veteran with extensive coaching experience at the high school, collegiate and professional levels, also joined Pope’s staff on Monday.

“Jason Hart is everything as a coach that he was as a player,” Pope said. “He has boundless energy. He’s fearless. He is stubborn. But he has endless joy and love for this game and our players.

“He has all of the grit that you’d expect from a big-time Syracuse point guard, and he earned everything he got in his decade-long NBA career through pure blood, sweat and tears. Jason is going to win over Kentucky players and Kentucky fans in about 10 seconds. I’m thrilled to welcome Jason, Brandi and their family to UK.”

Hart was excited to be joining Kentucky’s coaching staff.

“I’ve played and coached at every level of basketball and there is not a more passionate fan base than this one,” he said. “I will give every ounce of energy to our players and this program, and I can’t wait to get started. I want to thank Mitch Barnhart and Mark Pope for their confidence in me, and I want to say a special thanks to my family for their continued support.”