Mark Pope and family extend a noble gesture with ex-Kentucky star Reed Sheppard and his brother to help after devastating tornadoes

Kentucky coach Mark Pope and his family - along with former Wildcats Reed and Jeff Sheppard - supported the London, Kentucky community after a deadly tornado on Friday. They joined relief efforts, offering help and solidarity amid widespread devastation and fatalities.

The storm resulted in several fatalities in Laurel County, while homes were flattened as a result, with the London-Corbin Airport also sustaining significant damage.

However, despite the destruction, stories of survival have emerged, with families taking shelter in bathtubs and neighbors rescuing one another from debris. The community has begun recovery efforts, with support from across the state, of which Pope and his daughters are also a part.

Pope also made a social media post on X (formerly Twitter) expressing his devastation at the event.

“I’m heartbroken over the devastation from the deadly tornadoes that ravaged our great state, he wrote. “Our people have endured numerous disasters over the course of several years, but what I know about Kentuckians is this: We are resilient. We will mourn together. We believe in each other. We will stand together and rebuild together. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected.”

Reed Sheppard - also from Kentucky and represented the Wildcats in the 2023-24 season - was on hand to offer his support alongside his father, Jeff.

The Houston Rockets rookie returned home to lend a hand on the ground and released an Instagram post offering prayers, calling for support and urging people to help “in any way” they could during his state’s time of need.

“Kentucky will always be home," Sheppard wrote. Seeing the devastation from the tornadoes has been heartbreaking. These are the streets I grew up on, the people who raised me, the community that shaped me. I was so thankful to be able to spend some time at home recently, it reminded me just how special this place really is.”

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Mark Pope reveals Kentucky’s NIL valuation

Mark Pope met with reporters for a media availability session, during which he discussed his team’s aspirations for the 2025-26 season and disclosed his team's NIL worth.

"It's close to $200 million," Pope said about Kentucky’s NIL valuation. "We would like to win at everything like we really would. This is the flagship program in the country. And so I'm fully on board with all of it."

Pope took the Kentucky Wildcats job last year, leading the team to a 24-12 record and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament.