Mark Pope has stated unequivocally that he recognises the responsibility of coaching Kentucky, to the extent that he believes the first season was a failure due to the Cats’ failure to win the national championship. The more we hear from Pope, the more we understand that those words are more than just lip service, even though as fans, they’re always good to hear.
Pope stated in his Kentucky Sports Radio interview that he feels a duty to win it all, not just to the fans but also to his fellow former players and coaches. He made this comment about Karl-Anthony Towns’ coach and his predecessor, John Calipari, while discussing a meeting he had with Towns in New York on Tuesday.
“That’s what Karl-Anthony Towns anticipates from this place, and I was just with him in New York yesterday. All of our former coaches and players [expect] that. What do you know? Cal anticipates that. Cal is saying, “Don’t ruin my program,” down in Arkansas, I mean. “Dude, that is the greatest basketball program ever.”
Whether that was a real conversation the two had or just Pope projecting his thoughts on Cal, we’ll never know (I have a feeling it’s the latter, but the former is certainly more fun). Even before his dramatic return to Rupp Arena, Calipari has been eloquent about Kentucky and his time in Lexington since departing for Arkansas last year. He still has a particular place in his heart for Kentucky, which is evidence of the influence the program has on its former players and coaches. Pope was disappointed to see Travis Perry transfer to Ole Miss for this reason, among others.
Here’s the thing: isn’t this what we’re discussing with TP? I am 30 years down the line, and I know what it feels like to walk back into Rupp Arena with your family and to let your children see this location that changed the trajectory of your life forever. And it means something.”
According to Pope, he and Towns talked about that on Tuesday. Towns was reflecting on his career as a Kentucky Wildcat the day before he and the New York Knicks began the Eastern Conference Finals, the team’s first participation since 2000.
It was really great—I’m not sure if Karl will be upset with me, but I was with him yesterday, and that’s what he discussed. He’s actually so forward-thinking that he’s already thinking about legacy.
He talked about how his kids would get to see him when he brings them back to Kentucky one day. The truth is that when we all stop playing, the next guy becomes much more popular with our kids. Then you get to go back to the gym and see this relationship that we had thirty years ago when we played in Rupp and in Kentucky jerseys. You may still see and feel how they are embraced by others. And when you enter with your kids, they experience that and see you in a way that they never saw before. And I am aware that that is a real thing.
Pope went one step further and stated that he hopes all previous coaches and players will experience such experiences at Rupp Arena.
“I mean, I got to play in the league as a bad player for a long time; I know what it’s like, and so I want every single coach, every single one, and every single player that ever played here to feel like this is their building, because they built it like we get to enjoy it right now. I got to be the head coach at Kentucky and join this because of what KAT and what Antoine [Walker] and what Tony [Delk] and what Kyle Macy, and what Joe B. [Hall], what all those guys built. I get to appreciate that at the moment.
