Karl-Anthony Towns believes in Mark Pope, shares message to team: "Not many people get to call themselves a Kentucky Wildcat."

It’s not every day a No. 1 draft pick is in your gym, but that was the reality for Mark Pope‘s Kentucky Wildcats with five-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns in town for his induction into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame. His old coach isn’t there anymore, but it’s the same city and same practice gym with the same uniform he wore as he transitioned from a boy to a man — and one of the most dominant bigs in basketball.

That guy certainly has plenty of words of wisdom to share with the next generation of hoopers following in his footsteps, potentially as Hall of Famers themselves.

His advice to them? Don’t focus on stacking accolades the way he did to raise draft stock the way he did to become an NBA superstar the way he did — and the money that comes with all of it. Instead, focus on enjoying life as a Wildcat the way he did, because that’s what leads to everything else. You can’t build toward the future if you don’t take advantage of the now.

As Coach Pope talks about every chance he can, take pride in wearing that name across your chest. It means something, whether they realize it yet or not.

“The advice I had when I was here, you know? Be in the present,” Towns told KSR at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “I think we all know, in this circle — let’s not kid ourselves. When you’ve got Kentucky across your chest and you’re playing for this basketball team, you’re the rockstars of Lexington. You’re the most famous athletes and people in all of Lexington.

“My advice to them was just to try to make everyone proud. Show everyone what it truly means to be a Kentucky Wildcat. Treat everyone with respect. Have tremendous amounts of humility and appreciate this moment.”

Right now, the Wildcats are preparing for the season, transitioning from the summer grind to fall practices with Big Blue Madness less than a month away. It’s hard to understand the magnitude of all of this until that moment — and even more so when the games actually tip off inside Rupp Arena.

It’ll hit them soon enough, though.

“Not many people get to call themselves a Kentucky Wildcat. Not many people get the chance to step into Rupp Arena and represent the crowd here and the amazing fanbase we have here,” Towns continued. “I just wanted them to understand that it is one of the biggest honors you’ll receive in life, to be able to call yourself a Wildcat. I want them to stay in the present. Don’t worry about the future. Don’t worry about possibly going to the NBA and money and all that stuff.

“I just want them to live in the present and enjoy this moment. You may never be in another room with that much talent ever again. And if anyone could tell them that, I definitely can with our team.”

Something he doesn’t have experience with, however, is playing for Coach Pope. That’s something this current group can already say they’ve gotten used to while he only knows Coach Cal and all of the people he’s worked with in the NBA.

He’s watched closely, though, and he’s impressed. Towns has been able to build a strong relationship with the new head coach in Lexington early on and is not only confident Pope will be successful leading the program, but rather certain.

“I mean, Coach Pope is amazing. I’ve gotten to know him on a personal level. Obviously, as a coach, he’s one of a kind. He’s one of the best,” Towns told KSR. “I think Kentucky is in for a lot of years of really great coaching and great leadership.”

His time at Kentucky is where he became a man under John Calipari. He feels Pope has similar qualities, able to lead young kids not only in their basketball journeys, but life in general.

If you’re an up-and-coming recruit or transfer, the five-time All-Star believes you can change your life by becoming a Wildcat just as he did.

“I think that with Coach Pope, again, we’ll be seeing not only great players come to Kentucky and Lexington, but we’ll see these players leave Lexington and become men,” he said. “And that’s the most important thing. You come to the university and parents trust Coach Pope and the coaching staff to raise their boys. 

“I think he’s doing a great job raising boys to men.”