Kentucky Wildcats Basketball

After being hired as head coach of Kentucky, Mark Pope has landed one of the top players in the transfer portal.

Per Joe Tipton of On3.com, Drexel big man Amari Williams' agents said their client has committed to Pope and the Wildcats on Sunday.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted that Williams will continue to explore the NBA pre-draft process before the May 29 deadline to decide whether he remain in the draft or withdraw and return to school.

Williams is an impressive addition, especially considering he's Pope's first recruit. The 6'10" senior became the first player in CAA history to three-peat as Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with 1.8 blocks per game to go with averages of 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He helped lead Drexel to a top-30 national ranking in scoring defense and a 20-12 record, the program's first 20-win season since 2012.

Prior to joining Kentucky, Pope coached at BYU for five seasons and led the team to four 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances. He was hired to replace longtime Wildcats head coach John Calipari, who accepted a head coaching position at Arkansas after this season.

Alex Weber of On3.com noted that if Williams chooses to withdraw from the NBA draft, he will immediately fill a hole on the Kentucky roster.

"This addition gives the 'Cats an old bruiser down low, an elite defensive presence and a better rebounder than anyone off their most recent team," Weber stated. "Mark Pope is getting off to a fine start."

One of the top freshmen in the country is ready to turn pro.

Kentucky freshman guard Reed Sheppard announced on Thursday that he is entering the 2024 NBA draft. The SEC Freshman of the Year is a projected lottery pick, with B/R's Jonathan Wasserman predicting in his latest mock draft that Sheppard could go as high as No. 3 to the San Antonio Spurs.

"I'm going all-in," Sheppard told ESPN's Jonathan Givony. "The opportunity I have is great. I've gotten really good feedback showing where I can be in the draft. I had an unbelievable year at Kentucky. It was such a fun year. It's not easy leaving the fans and the school I dreamed of playing at. I need to do what's best for me, and that's heading to the NBA."

Sheppard was also named second-team All-SEC after appearing in all 33 games for Kentucky with five starts and averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 52.1 percent from beyond the arc. His shooting efficiency makes him an attractive NBA prospect.

"My teammates and coaches put confidence in me, telling me you need to shoot," Sheppard said. "I was fortunate to be able to get in the gym and work with [Kentucky assistant] coach John Welch every day. He's one of the best trainers you'll find."

Despite earning a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky was eliminated in the Round of 64 by Oakland in one of the biggest upsets of March Madness. After the season, longtime head coach John Calipari accepted the same position at Arkansas and was replaced by former BYU head coach Mark Pope.

"The goal at Kentucky is to play for a national championship," Sheppard said. "I thought we had a good shot at it. Our team was special, and losing the way we did was hard. All the relationships we built and how close we were made this decision a lot harder."

The 2024 NBA draft will be held on June 26-27 in New York City.

New Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is looking to boost his talent pool by gauging the interest of Stanford guard Andrej Stojaković in transferring to Lexington.

Stojaković, the son of former NBA player Peja Stojaković, told Jacob Polacheck of On3.com and Kentucky Sports Radio the Wildcats have reached out to him.

Stojaković entered the transfer portal on March 19 after Stanford fired head coach Jerod Haase. The 19-year-old appeared in all 32 games for the Cardinal during his freshman season.

The Wildcats are in the process of trying to rebuild their roster after a recent talent exodus following John Calipari's departure. Incoming recruits Karter Knox, Jayden Quaintance, Somto Cyril, Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond have all decommitted from the program.

Kentucky could have challenged Duke for the top overall class in the 2024 recruiting cycle with its incoming talent.

Instead, Pope and his staff are in the process of salvaging things right now. The Wildcats currently have the 78th-ranked class in the nation with Travis Perry the only recruit who has signed a letter of intent.

That ranking will go up after Collin Chandler told Travis Branham of 247Sports on Tuesday he was released from his letter of intent at BYU in order to follow Pope to Kentucky.

Chandler was a 4-star recruit in the 2022 class, but he delayed starting his college career to go on a two-year mission. He's expected to return from his mission on May 2.

Stojaković was a 5-star prospect and No. 25 overall recruit in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He averaged 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season at Stanford.

Prior to committing to Stanford in November 2022, Stojaković was also considering Texas, UCLA and Oregon.

Another day and another Kentucky departure.

Hunter Shelton of On 3 reported Tuesday that recruiting prospect Billy Richmond decommitted from the Wildcats after head coach John Calipari left the program for Arkansas. Richmond is a 5-star prospect and the No. 25 overall player and No. 9 small forward in the class of 2024, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Shelton previously reported that point guard Boogie Fland, center Jayden Quaintance, center Somto Cyril and forward Karter Knox departed from Kentucky's once highly-regarded 2024 recruiting class.

It is not just incoming recruits that are leaving.

Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald Leader reported Tuesday that point guard D.J. Wagner entered the transfer portal on the same day that big man Aaron Bradshaw decided to transfer to Ohio State.

"Wagner's decision leaves only three Kentucky players—Reed Sheppard, Ugonna Onyenso and Jordan Burks—who have not yet entered the transfer portal or declared for the NBA draft," Roberts wrote while noting Sheppard could head to the NBA and the other two may end up leaving anyway.

Since then, Onyenso declared for the NBA draft, leaving the Wildcats even more shorthanded as they look ahead to the 2024-25 campaign.

In today's world of college sports, roster turnover is expected even with no coaching changes. The ability to enter the transfer portal is enticing to many players, and a number of the Kentucky players likely would have explored the NBA draft even if Calipari was still the coach.

Still, the loss of incoming recruits such as Richmond makes things all the more difficult for new head coach Mark Pope.

He is already under the microscope as the replacement for a coach who won a national championship and reached four Final Fours during his time at Kentucky, and figuring out a way to build a contender even with so many departures is his first challenge.

So many highly-regarded players leaving could make the Wildcats all the more enticing for players in the transfer portal, though, as they could see the opportunity for immediate playing time at one of the best programs in the sport.

Mark Pope has landed his first major addition since being hired to replace John Calipari as Kentucky's head coach.

Collin Chandler told Travis Branham of 247Sports he will join the Wildcats after being released from his national letter of intent to BYU:

"I am grateful for Cougar Nation in taking me in as family from day one and supporting me in a precious time of my life. I have been blessed to be able to experience such a passionate and loving fan base. I am especially grateful for Coach Pope and the mentorship and trust he has given me from the very beginning.

"The journey of chasing dreams is beautiful. Chasing my dreams and aspirations in the game of basketball has always brought me so much joy and fulfillment. The game means the world to me.

"I am grateful for Cougar Nation in taking me in as family from day one and supporting me in a precious time of my life. I have been blessed to be able to experience such a passionate and loving fan base. I am especially grateful for Coach Pope and the mentorship and trust he has given me from the very beginning.

"This journey has already taken me to places i could never have imagined. Growing up, my biggest dream was to play against the best players in the world. I am beyond grateful to be given the opportunity to do just that. Through the past couple of days, the path I had before envisioned has been blurred. After talking with my family and many prayers, this vision has become clearer than ever. I am humbled to get the opportunity to continue this journey at the University of Kentucky! Go Wildcats!"

Chandler was the No. 37 overall recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He signed a national letter of intent with BYU in November 2021, but delayed starting his college career to serve a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Robby McCombs of Vanquish the Foe noted Chandler is expected to return from his mission on May 2.

At the time of his signing with BYU, Chandler was the highest-ranked recruit to join the team since Pope was hired as head coach in April 2019.

Pope left BYU on April 12 to take the same position at Kentucky. He was hired to replace John Calipari, who moved to Arkansas. The Wildcats' roster has been picked apart in the wake of Calipari's departure.

D.J. Wagner entered the transfer portal on Monday. Zvonimir Ivišić announced on Monday he was leaving Kentucky to join Calipari with the Razorbacks. Aaron Bradshaw committed to Ohio State after entering the transfer portal.

When Chandler was coming out of high school, Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports called him a "competitive guard who always plays in attack mode" and "a great shooter off the catch or dribble and knocks down the three-point shot with consistency."

Chandler is the third commit for Kentucky in the 2024 recruiting class. He joins guards Travis Perry and Billy Richmond as additions to the Wildcats roster for next season.

Kentucky guard DJ Wagner is entering the transfer portal, becoming the latest high-profile player to leave Kentucky after coach John Calipari's exit.

Travis Branham of 247Sports reported Wagner will be "completely open" as he explores his options.

A 2023 McDonald's All-American, Wagner was a 5-star recruit and the top combo guard in the nation when he arrived at Kentucky last year. He had an inconsistent freshman season under Calipari, averaging 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game.

Kentucky has already lost guard Rob Dillingham and forward Justin Edwards to the NBA draft, and guard Reed Sheppard is expected to follow. Wagner joins guard Adou Thiero and centers Aaron Bradshaw and Zvonimir Ivišić in the transfer portal.

High-profile recruits Boogie Fland, Jayden Quaintance, Karter Knox and Somto Cyril have also re-opened their commitment in wake of Calipari leaving Kentucky for Arkansas. The Wildcats quickly hired BYU's Mark Pope as Calipari's replacement, but it's clear he'll have to scramble in order to field a competitive roster.

Calipari will likely bring some of the transfer portal and previously recruited players along with him to Arkansas. The Razorbacks' roster is a blank slate at this point, with only one player on their 2024-25 team.

Wagner, the son of former NBA guard Dajuan Wagner, had offers from nearly every major program in the country coming out of high school and won't lack for suitors again in the transfer portal. While his disappointing freshman season at Kentucky harmed his draft stock, it would not be a surprise to see Wagner join Calipari in a more starring role at Arkansas.

Kentucky signee Boogie Fland has requested to be released from his letter of intent, according to Joe Tipton of On3.

Fland, who signed his NLI in November, is the No. 2 combo guard and No. 18 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2024 class.

His decision to reverse course comes after head coach John Calipari left the Wildcats to take the Arkansas job. Kentucky quickly hired Mark Pope as his replacement.

Pope's first order or business will be rebuilding what was on pace to be among the strongest collections of talent from this year's recruiting cycle. Kentucky lost commitments from 5-star center Jayden Quaintance, 5-star small forward Karter Knox and 4-star Somto Cyril before Fland decided to reexamine his future.

Forward Zvonimir Ivisic, guard Joey Hart, forward Aaron Bradshaw, forward Adou Thiero and D.J. Wagner have all entered the transfer portal as well, compounding the challenge ahead for Pope and his staff.

For Fland, a reunion with Calipari on the Razorbacks could be in order. Coach Cal was blunt about the state of the roster during his introductory press conference and stressed the need for reinforcements.

Fland will have plenty of other suitors as well given his high status within the 2024 class.

"Fland is a skilled guard whose biggest asset is his ability to shoot the basketball," 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein wrote in his most recent scouting report. "Like few other players in high school basketball, he has an ability to heat up and start making tough shots from long-range. However, his willingness to settle for those tough shots, can impact his efficiency. The 30% he shot from behind the three-point line in EYBL came in direct correlation to his shot selection, since he's undoubtedly a better shooter than those numbers indicate."

Succeeding a legend is never easy and the underwhelming end to Calipari's tenure won't ease the pressure or level of expectations on Pope too much.

Given the player exodus from Lexington, the incoming coach might get a bit of a mulligan in his first year, though.

Kentucky men's basketball head coach Mark Pope says he understands what is expected at him as he steps into the shoes of Hall of Famer John Calipari.

That's to lead the Wildcats to wins not just in the NCAA Tournament but the SEC Tournament as well, Pope said during Sunday's official introduction at Rupp Arena.

"I understand the assignment," Pope said, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf. "We are here to win banners. As we go through this journey, we're here to win banners in Nashville, because you guys turn out in Nashville like nobody else and that matters. And our job here and our assignment is here to win banners in the Final Four, national championships. That's our job."

Kentucky last won the SEC Tournament in 2018.

The program most recently made it to the NCAA Tournament Final Four in 2015, and last claimed the national title in 2012.

Kentucky announced Pope's hiring Friday. He joins the Wildcats on a five-year deal worth $5.5 million per season, according to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports.

Pope, who won the 1996 NCAA title with Kentucky, previously coached BYU for five seasons. The Cougars made the NCAA Tournament last season during their first campaign in the Big 12.

He will now replace Calipari, who is leaving the program for Arkansas after 15 seasons.

Calipari led the Wildcats to seven Elite Eight appearances, four Final Four bids and the 2012 NCAA title during his tenure, but had not made it past the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2019.

He said in a farewell post on X that Kentucky "probably needs to hear another voice" to make another championship run.

If the attendance at Sunday's introduction is any indication, fans believe Pope could be that voice. The arena, which seats more than 20,000, had to turn away 5,000 fans from the press conference, according to On3's Zack Geoghegan.

New Kentucky men's basketball head coach Mark Pope is returning to the school where he once captained the 1995-96 national championship winners.

On Sunday, UK introduced him as coach to the public in grand fashion by having the rest of the team return to Rupp Arena and walk out of a bus, with Pope hoisting that squad's trophy.

That legendary Wildcats team went 34-2 (16-0 in SEC) en route to winning its six NCAA tournament games by 21.5 points per outing. Pope, a 6'10" center, averaged 7.6 points and 5.2 rebounds on that squad.

Pope played professional basketball (mainly overseas) from 1996-2005 before joining the coaching ranks in 2009 as an assistant with Georgia. He got his first head coaching gig with Utah Valley in 2015 before leaving for BYU in 2019. His teams have finished 187-108 over nine seasons.

Now he's tasked with leading a UK program that was in search for a new leader following the end of the John Calipari era. Bringing in a champion in Pope certainly generates some goodwill as Kentucky looks for brighter days.

Current St. John's and former Kentucky head men's basketball coach Rick Pitino threw his support behind the school's hiring of Mark Pope as its new head coach Friday.

In a video posted on X, Pitino expressed his belief that Pope is the right man for the job at Kentucky and declared that Pope will "go on to greatness."

After longtime Kentucky head coach John Calipari decided to leave and join Arkansas, Kentucky officially hired Pope away from BYU on Friday.

The 71-year-old Pitino coached at Kentucky from 1989 to 1997, and during that time he led the Wildcats to the Final Four on three occasions and won a national championship in 1996.

Pope was part of that 1996 national title team as a player, averaging 7.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game en route to being a second-round pick in the NBA draft.

After a six-year NBA career, Pope got into coaching and received his first head coaching opportunity in 2015 at Utah Valley.

Pope went 77-56 in four seasons at Utah Valley, taking the Wolverines to the CBI three times.

In 2019, Pope was hired as the head coach at BYU, and he would go on to spend five seasons with the Cougars, racking up a 110-52 record.

BYU reached the NCAA tourney twice under Pope, including last season when it went 23-11, but it failed to win an NCAA tournament game under Pope's guidance.

Kentucky has struggled through some NCAA tournament shortcomings in its own right in recent years, as it has not made it past the second round since 2019.

The third-seeded Wildcats were shocked by 14th-seeded Oakland in the first round of this year's tournament, which turned out to be Calipari's final game as Kentucky's head coach.

Coach Cal did some great things at Kentucky, including four Final Four appearances and a national title, but it seemed as though a change was needed amid the Wildcats' failures to go on deep tournament runs in recent years.

The fact that Pope's BYU teams didn't have much NCAA tournament success perhaps created some trepidation among the Kentucky fanbase, but Pitino attempted to allay those concerns Friday.

Pitino pointed out that big-name head coaches such as Jay Wright, Danny Hurley and Billy Donovan all had their struggles before becoming national championship-winning coaches.

Pitino hyped up Pope's coaching and recruiting ability and his love for Kentucky basketball, and he vowed that Pope would "get it done" in the form of bringing another national title to Lexington.