Mark Pope has broken his silence.
Ten days after reaching an agreement to become the next head basketball coach at Kentucky, Pope posted a message of gratitude on social media Sunday morning regarding his time spent at BYU.
“BYU will always be an incredibly special place to our family,” Pope wrote on X. “Soon after we arrived at BYU one mentor told me that ‘BYU had more to offer me than I had to offer BYU.’
“Those words proved to be SO true as we felt the BYU experience change our lives for the better. It’s overwhelming to reflect on the countless lifelong friendships that we forged at BYU. We are SO grateful.”
Pope spent five years piloting BYU’s program, posting a 110-52 overall record with two winless trips to the NCAA Tournament. He has since been replaced in Provo by Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young, but not before flipping blue chip prospect and former Cougars commit Collin Chandler to join him in Lexington.
A captain of the 1996 national championship Wildcats squad, Pope was officially introduced at his alma mater last Sunday in front of a rowdy Rupp Arena crowd.
All of the fanfare for Pope’s arrival was met with some criticism from BYU supporters who questioned if he would ever offer parting words to Cougar Nation. Such reservations can now be safely put to rest.
In his post Sunday, Pope also added additional excitement for him and his family starting “the greatest adventure of our lives” at Kentucky, while citing God’s influence in making the opportunity possible.
“It has been a whirlwind of awesomeness — that’s what Kentucky basketball IS! It’s the pinnacle of basketball,” Pope wrote. “And (Big Blue Nation) has gone straight next level in redefining southern hospitality! Thank you! We are immersed in the work. We will be relentless. We know the assignment! We will ALL do this together. Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude. We are home.
“... I’m a believer. I believe God’s plans for our lives are way bigger than our own.”