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Kentucky men's basketball coach Mark Pope knows first-hand what it's like to play for the Wildcats.
Pope played at Kentucky from 1994-96 and was a team captain on the Wildcats' 1996 national championship team. So when he talks about sacrifice, he knows what he's talking about.
“There’s nowhere like this, and if you come in here not understanding or appreciating that, I actually think your chances of success are not very high, to some level,” Pope told On3. “The guys that are really successful here come in with a healthy respect for what this is — because it requires more, actually.”
As a program, Kentucky has won eight national championships dating back to 1948 and made an additional four title game appearances. The Wildcats have also been to 17 Final Fours, making them one of the most successful men's basketball programs of all-time. Paired with the most rabid and loyal fanbase in the sport, and there's a lot of pressure on the players who don the home jerseys in Rupp Arena each year.
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“It requires more ability to be non-distracted, it requires more of a giving heart,” Pope continued. “It requires more of an idea that there’s something bigger than yourself.”
Pope is working to instill a sense of pride in his current roster. He is teaching them what it means to play for a blueblood program trying to claw its way back to the top.
“We were just doing a media shoot about this chance to become immortal and how you get there. The pathway to get there is very different than this world wants to teach us,” Pope added. “Understanding and having some concept of what Kentucky basketball means is a vital part from the very first phone call to the very last pre-commitment conversation.
Kentucky went 24-12 in Pope's first season at the helm. They earned a 3 seed and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are a projected top-15 team next season.
