A 1996 national champion who transferred from Washington — where he was Pac-10 Freshman of the Year — and became a reliable contributor averaging 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds as UK went 34-2 and cut down the nets in the Meadowlands. He played six NBA seasons before turning to coaching, and on April 12, 2024, was named Kentucky's 23rd head coach, the first former player to lead the program since Joe B. Hall. In his first season, Pope assembled an entirely new roster with zero returning points and led the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 with eight wins over AP Top 15 opponents.