Mark Pope arrives in Las Vegas to support former Cats in Summer League

Mark Pope joins Amari Williams in Las Vegas at NBA Summer League

It’s official: Mark Pope does not sleep.

Most coaches would spend a Sunday evening with their feet up in the recliner watching their favorite show or movie following a live period — especially with another coming in four days. No one would blame Pope, who has bounced back and forth from the adidas 3SSB Championships in Rock Hill to Nike EYBL Session 4 in North Augusta since Thursday, if he took a well-deserved break.

Instead, the Kentucky head coach decided to fly out to Las Vegas for the 2025 NBA Summer League to support his former players in attendance.

A source at the event shared a few pictures with KSR of Pope arriving on Sunday and meeting with Boston’s Amari Williams following the Celtics’ win over the New York Knicks. He then stuck around to watch Jaxson Robinson suit up for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Miami Heat.

Koby Brea (Suns), Lamont Butler (Hawks) and Andrew Carr (Trail Blazers) are also in Las Vegas for Summer League among Pope’s former Wildcats. Reed Sheppard (Rockets), Jacob Toppin (Hawks), Chris Livingston (Bucks), Rob Dillingham (Timberwolves), Antonio Reeves (Pelicans), Keion Brooks Jr. (Pelicans), Justin Edwards (76ers), Lance Ware (Knicks) and Skal Labissiere (Magic) are the other Kentucky alums participating in the event.

Williams went for two points (0-2 FG, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes for the Celtics. That comes after Brea’s big day for the Suns, finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in 29 minutes.

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Robinson was held scoreless in five minutes for the Cavaliers on Saturday while Carr went for two points, four rebounds and a block in seven minutes for the Trail Blazers. Butler (ankle) has not played in two Summer League outings for the Hawks.

Pope’s time in Vegas comes after a weekend of watching 3SSB standouts Tay Kinney, Deron Rippey Jr., Caleb Holt and Anthony Thompson in action in Rock Hill, along with EYBL stars Tyran Stokes, Jordan Smith Jr., Christian Collins and Qayden Samuels in North Augusta.