Mark Pope says Kentucky will do some full-court pressing this season

Mark Pope at Kentucky men's basketball Media Day | Aaron Perkins, Kentucky Sports Radio

Defense has been a significant talking point throughout the offseason for Kentucky men’s basketball. Head coach Mark Pope recruited more defensive-minded athletes for his second Wildcats team to make up for what his first team lacked on that end of the floor. He brought in plenty of them, too — defensive depth shouldn’t be an issue for this group.

Could that mean we see some full-court pressing this season? Pope is all for it.

“Yes, the answer is yes,” Pope said at Media Day when asked if his team would press more this season. ‘We have the personnel and I think we have the depth and I think we have the athleticism and mobility and the determination, togetherness to find a way to be functional extending pressure, which is hard to do. It’s harder than it’s ever been in college basketball because guys are so skilled, but I think we can do it.”

Pope mentioned that the team has already begun working on situational pressing drills during practice. It’s not something we should expect to see for a full game, but if the opportunity arises to press the opponent more, he knows he has the personnel to pull it off. And with a bench as deep as any team in college basketball, players running out of gas shouldn’t be much of an issue.

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The timing of this pressing possibility makes for a fun side narrative, too. This season is the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Kentucky team, which won a national championship under Rick Pitino with Pope serving as team captain. Pitino’s high-powered offenses at UK were often coupled with a relentless pressing defense.

We didn’t see much pressing at all by the Wildcats last season. Injuries and the lack of the necessary personnel likely played a role in that. But at least publicly, Pope is saying that will change in 2025-26. Maybe he’s waiting to bust out the press when Kentucky takes on Pitino and St. John’s this December?