Mark Pope hoists 1996 National Championship jersey at introductory press conference
Former BYU head basketball coach Mark Pope was announced as the next head coach for Kentucky on Friday, but on Sunday, his introductory press conference in Lexington was absolutely electric in front of a sold-out crowd in Rupp Arena.
Pope played for the Wildcats in the late 90s, a team captain who helped lead Kentucky to a 1996 National Championship. And with teammates from that national title team in attendance, Pope broke a common tradition at his introductory press conference to pay homage to that 1995-1996 team. Holding up his game-worn jersey from the national championship game instead of a crisp brand-new one.
“I’m about to break tradition, at every one of these press conferences the coach comes up and he stands there with the AD and they take a picture with a jersey that they just made that ends up in a closet somewhere. We not doing that,” Pope said.
Pope proceeded to pull out his No. 41 jersey from his playing days with the Wildcats, which got a loud ovation in Rupp Arena on Sunday. Speaking more on its significance during his return to Lexington.
“This jersey is in a hallowed place in my home because it’s the jersey that I got to wear with my teammates and all of Kentucky nation in a national championship game in the Meadowlands of New York,” Pope said. “And that’s not just a jersey that’s gonna go in a closet, it’s a jersey that has blood, sweat, and tears, and love, and is all of us together.”
Pope spent the first two seasons of his college career at Washington, transferring to Kentucky ahead of a 1993–1994 season where he had to sit out due to NCAA transfer transfer rules.
When he did finally touch the floor for the Wildcats he never looked back, playing in every single game for Kentucky in his two seasons with the program. Helping lead the program to two SEC Championships to go along with their 1996 National Championship in a season where he averaged 7.6 points per game.
He’d go on to be the No. 52 overall pick in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers, ending his playing career in 2005 and transitioning to coaching. Spending seven seasons as an assistant before landing his first head coaching job at Utah Valley followed by BYU. As he’ll now look to deliver the Wildcats with a national championship as a coach the same way he did as a player.