"It requires more of a giving heart": Mark Pope reveals what it takes to be a successful hooper for Kentucky Wildcats

As Kentucky Wildcats coach Mark Pope began preparing for the 2025-26 season, he sent a clear message to his players and future recruits. Pope spoke about talent not being enough to thrive at Kentucky. During the offseason, on May 13, Pope held a press conference and expressed his thoughts.

Pope was candid about his thoughts on the traits a player needed to succeed at Kentucky’s basketball program and understanding the meaning of wearing the Kentucky jersey:

“There’s nowhere like this,” Pope said. “If you come in here not understanding or appreciating that, I actually think your chances of success are not very high. It requires more more of a giving heart.”

According to Pope, players who thrived at Kentucky were the ones who arrived with humility and respect for the program’s legacy. He also spoke about the players' ability to avoid distractions and a willingness to sacrifice for the program.

Before stepping into the coaching role, Pope was a player for the Wildcats (1994-1996). He captained the 1996 Kentucky squad that won the national championship.

“This chance to become immortal,” Pope said. “To make history doesn’t come by following what the world teaches. From the first phone call to the final commitment, players have to understand what Kentucky basketball means. Some guys won’t get it, and that’s okay. They might go on to be great elsewhere. But here, it’s different.”

Pope’s message resonated with the players. After tornadoes struck several Kentucky counties earlier in May, some new transfers stepped up and reached out to support local fans and communities.

Mark Pope speaks about expanded college basketball season

Kentucky coach Mark Pope has pushed for a longer college basketball season and has voiced his opinion about it. In a recent interview on Thursday with Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR), Pope made his case for why expanding the season was more important than ever, especially in the new era of college athletics shaped by revenue sharing and NIL deals.

Pope called for an increase in the number of games. He envisioned a 40-game season. Pope also insisted that even a few more games, perhaps raising the current limit to 35, could make a difference.

"Expand this season," Pope said. “With revenue sharing now in place, it changes everything. Let’s get to 35 or 40 games. Give us just four more games, and we could schedule a big neutral-site game, a marquee home-and-home, and even an in-state rivalry that fans care about.”

For Pope, it was not just about flexibility but about making Kentucky basketball even more exciting for fans. He wanted to bring more elite matchups to Rupp Arena and give fans the high-stakes games. He expressed interest in arranging home-and-away series with powerhouse programs like Kansas or even traveling to face defending champion UConn in Storrs.

“We need flexibility,” he said. “Let us play more so we can increase revenue, share it with our athletes, and support the entire athletic department.”

Pope believed that with more games, schools could still fulfill their financial needs while also scheduling better matchups. Pope mentioned returning to prestigious events like the Maui Invitational, which became difficult under scheduling constraints.