Most Kentucky Wildcats fans have a positive view of Mark Pope’s first season in Lexington. Pope assembled a roster and coaching staff from scratch after being hired and led that team to a 24-12 record in the toughest conference in college basketball.
It seems like ESPN also has some positive things to say about Pope’s first season at the helm of the Wildcats program.
The Worldwide Leader handed out report cards for the 2024-2025 season and gave Kentucky an “A” grade. Here’s what ESPN’s Myron Medcalf had to say about Pope and the Wildcats.
There will always be a “what if?” element to this season, Mark Pope’s first as the head coach of his alma mater, with top transfers Kerr Kriisa, Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson all missing significant time due to injuries. But the Wildcats never made excuses on their way to securing one of the country’s most impressive résumés; wins over Duke, Florida and Tennessee (twice) stamped a season that featured eight top-30 KenPom wins.
It was a dominant debut for Pope, who had to build the roster from scratch following John Calipari’s departure to Arkansas and took the Wildcats all the way to the Sweet 16, where they lost to rival Tennessee. One of America’s top offenses also matured into a respectable defensive team, clocking in at 51st nationally in defensive efficiency.
While everyone would’ve liked to have seen fewer losses, Kentucky put together a resume that was among the best in the country with multiple victories in big games.
Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt joined Kentucky in receiving an “A.”
Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M earned “B” grades, while LSU, South Carolina, and Texas earned a “D.”
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