Kentucky basketball sign ex-Arkansas mega-star to a multi-year deal.
It’s been a month since Mark Pope landed in Lexington. The new Kentucky coach dramatically overhauled the Wildcats’ roster over the last four weeks, landing seven transfers and signing small forward Trent Noah to a recruiting class featuring four-star guard Travis Perry. Pope addressed Kentucky’s current roster and his plans with the Wildcats’ remaining scholarships during an interview with CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
“It was terrifying, but it actually turned out to be a real blessing that we got to start from scratch here,” Pope said. “We got to hand-pick guys that fit perfectly into the way that we play. I feel great about our roster right now. We have a couple of really, really important pieces that we still have to fit in. We’re at ten scholarships right now. I have two really, really important pieces that I have to add.”
Pope went further in-depth on Kentucky’s roster during the interview and addressed his relationship with former head coach John Calipari and scheduling a home-and-home series with St. John’s to get Rick Pitino back in Rupp Arena, among other things.
“This is basketball heaven. It’s almost unthinkable that you get an opportunity to come here to the University of Kentucky and take a swing at it. It’s exhausting, draining, exhilarating and overwhelming. The list is endless. It’s also like family, home and love. We did the introductory press conference at Rupp Arena, and 22,000 people showed up. This is this state’s team. It’s everything. The standard is impossible. You have to win a championship every year, and nothing else is acceptable. All of that makes it a beautiful job.”
“This is year one of a project. But this group that we’ve assembled has way more experience than the team that we had last year at BYU. These guys are proven quantities. They’ve been into the NCAA Tournament multiple times and hit game-winning shots to get into the national championship game. Veteran, veteran guys who have played for a long time at the highest level. It was terrifying, but it actually turned out to be a real blessing that we got to start from scratch here. We got to hand-pick guys that fit perfectly into the way that we play. We want to expand the genre of game that we played last year. I feel great about our roster right now. We have a couple of really, really important pieces that we still have to fit in. On paper, I love it.”
“Our first three signings were three of the best defensive players in the country. Those three guys are unbelievable veteran players who have proven it at the highest level. They’re guys that will have unbelievable expansion to their games over the next several months. I have two of the top 10 backcourt defenders in the entire country. I have a top-five rim protector in the entire country. We can terrorize people on the defensive end. Koby Brea is a perfect fit for us. Andrew Carr feels exactly the same. We think of him as Lauri Markkanen. He is a really, really skilled three-level scorer. He’s going to be really special for us.
“We got a little piss and vinegar, veteran experience with Kerr Kriisa. I’ve been recruiting him for six years. I was in Lithuania recruiting him before he ever came to college. Brandon Garrison is an elite young talent on the frontlines as you could possibly be. Collin Chandler is a superstar. He is just a superstar in the making. Trent Noah and Travis Perry are elite-level basketball players who carry the heart of Kentucky. I love the way that this team can fit together.”
“He is a unique player. He’s 6-foot-6 with shocking explosiveness and a real burst. He’s got a really, really pretty stroke. When the ball is released from his hands, it’s just really soft at the rim. He flies around and guards. He’s got an incredible heart. He is so unselfish. You put all that together, and I don’t know who to compare that to, but I know it’s the DNA of something incredibly, incredibly special.”
“We’re at ten scholarships right now. I have two really, really important pieces that I have to add. The 13th scholarship is a floating piece. It could be a place for a young player. It could be a place for a senior player who is going to take a redshirt year. It could be a place for a project. It could be a place for a high-risk guy. We’re really dialed in on filling these last two spots. It is a priority right now.”
“We both want it. Scheduling is sometimes so complicated. We’re both trying to navigate it. What I really want is Coach Pitino to walk back into Rupp Arena. Is there a fanbase that loves a coach more than Big Blue Nation loves Coach Pitino? Every year, they become more and more grateful for what he did here. He’s reached such an iconic status in the view of the fans. I know he knows that, but I would love him to walk back into his building. I’m dying to come back to this building so I can beat him. I’m dying, I’m dying, I’m dying to try to beat coach. It’s going to happen. We got to work through all the little pieces.”
“I’ll forever be grateful to Coach Cal. I’ll be grateful for what he did at my alma mater. What he’s done for college basketball and Kentucky basketball, I couldn’t appreciate it more. He’s been so generous to me personally. There’s no reason for my heart not to be full of gratitude for him. He’s one of the greatest coaches to ever coach college basketball. For him to be in this league is great for basketball. It’s great for Arkansas fans and great for Big Blue Nation. It’s going to be a battle. Some things will become super personal. It’s one thing to compete against somebody you don’t know. It’s another thing competing against your brother. If you’ve done that in the backyard, it usually gets ugly because you love each other so much.”
