The Wildcats are getting their feet wet in Lexington, both coaches and players. Mark Pope got things rolling in April, followed by the rest of the staff in May, then the roster in June: all 12 Cats on campus with the first week of practice officially in the books.
What has that process been like for the team and how are things going in the dog days of summer? KSR met up with Pope himself, along with a handful of other players at the Club Blue NEW ERA event in Lexington last weekend. Being with Big Blue Nation for the first time, the Wildcats spoke about their gratitude for the opportunity before them, while their head coach made it clear that their championship aspirations remain strong.
Mark Pope explains why Kentucky is unique in college basketball
No, Pope never tires of introducing himself as Kentucky head coach Mark Pope. It still thrills him every time the words come out of his mouth, especially with the recruits.
“I get happier every time I talk to recruits about the University of Kentucky; I just like saying the words. I like saying the words, it excites me every time I say them. I’ll never get over that. That will never be normal for me, it is not,” Pope said at the NIL event. “We will continue to focus squarely on our incredible gratitude for this opportunity to be affiliated with this university.
“It’s like every member of BBN, like every student-athlete, every member of our team: no one can do this, but we can. We are the blessed ones who can do this. “That’s never going to fade away.”
He also talked about what his team’s goals are this summer, the importance of Club Blue and NIL, and Kentucky’s relationship with the NBA moving forward.
Check out the full interview:
Robinson, Butler, Brea and Perry talk about their early days as Wildcats
On the other hand, KSR spoke with Lamont butler, Travis Perry, Koby Brea and Jason Robinson. A common theme with each? The gravity of Big Blue Nation and adapting to college basketball’s most passionate fan base, those four seeing it up close for the first time at the NEW ERA event.
More specifically, Butler talked about his leadership role as the team’s likely starting point guard, while Brea talked about his decision to transfer to Kentucky as the top shooter in the portal. Perry spoke of his transition from high school to college as the state’s all-time leading scorer, while Robinson made it clear there was no other option for him among colleges.
If he withdrew his name from the Draft, Lexington would always be his next home.
Check out the full set of interviews:
More Kentucky news and views on KSR’s YouTube channel
Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its Wildcats coverage in the most ridiculous way possible on our YouTube channel. Here you can find interviews with coaches and players, as well as comments from the KSR team. From Rapid Reactions after big events to our extensive lineup of live shows, subscribe to KSR’s YouTube channel to stay up to date on everything happening in the Big Blue Nation.
Keynote USA
For the Latest Sports News, Follow Keynote USA Sports on Twitter.