Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Coach Mark Pope Previews 2025-26 Season

Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope previewed the 2025-26 season Tuesday at the Joe Craft Center, exuding confidence in a roster poised to contend for a national title. Fresh off a 21-10 debut season that saw UK reach the Sweet 16 with eight top-15 wins, including victories over Duke and Tennessee (twice), Pope praised returners like Otega Oweh (potentially), Brandon Garrison, and freshmen Trent Noah alongside transfers like Alabama’s Mouhamed Dioubate. He also mentioned Travis Perry transferring and his outlook for his 2nd season at the helm. With a top-10 recruiting class featuring Malachi Moreno and Jasper Johnson, and portal targets like Nevada’s Nick Davidson, Pope aims to bolster defense to match his high-octane offense, stating, “We want to play the hardest schedule, win the most games, have the best players.” Pope’s aggressive roster-building signals Kentucky’s intent to chase a banner in 2026.