Since taking the job in April, Mark Pope has made it clear he understands the assignment at Kentucky: winning national championships. From his introductory press conference on, Pope has talked about how the program only hangs banners for titles and Final Fours at Rupp Arena. That’s a philosophy he’s carried over to the practice facility.
Jimmy Dykes attended Kentucky’s practice yesterday. Before beginning his broadcasting career with the SEC Network, Dykes coached for over 30 years, two of those as an assistant under Eddie Sutton at Kentucky (1987-89). Between that, coaching against the Cats as Arkansas women’s basketball coach (2014-17), and the many, many Kentucky games he’s covered, Dykes knows Kentucky’s practice facility well. When he walked into the gym yesterday, he noticed one big change: the large NBA trading-card-style posters for each former player in the league were gone, and only the national championship banners remained.
“The first thing I noticed when I walked in the practice facility, all of those individual banners are down,” Dykes said during an appearance on Kentucky Sports Radio. “The only thing left on the wall is the national championships. That’s the standard. It’s about hanging those banners. It’s a new day for Kentucky.”
Looking back at pictures and videos of practice, it’s clear the makeover happened a while ago (you can find some of those NBA cards at the Kentucky Roadshow memorabilia store in Lexington); however, Dykes’ comments underline the sharp contrast in philosophies of Pope and his predecessor, John Calipari. “Players first” is now “program first.”
Here’s what the practice gym looked like before. Note the NBA player posters along the baselines.
And here is what it looks like now (speaking of understanding the assignment, well done, Chet White):
Pope only had a few months to assemble a roster, but he made sure the players he pursued both fit his system and understood the assignment that came with it. After watching practice and speaking to the team, Dykes noted that every player — not just Kentucky natives Trent Noah and Travis Perry — seemed to “get” what it means to be a Kentucky Basketball player.
“It’s a high, high premium on guys that want to play for Kentucky, and they understand what that program is about, the best they can for 18, 19, 21, 22-year-old kid. Now, does Trent Noah understand that? Absolutely. Does Travis Perry understand that? Absolutely. But I think he brought in guys and was very clear about the Kentucky standard under him and what they’re supposed to look like and play like.”
Dykes is friends with John Calipari, but after watching Pope on the job, he believes the 1996 team captain was the right hire at the right time.
“No doubt. Mark let me speak to his team yesterday for just a few minutes afterward, and I told them, ‘I’ve coached here. I’ve been all across the country in college basketball. There’s no place like Kentucky.’ And Mark Pope knows that. It’s clear how smart he is. All the things that I see, his staff included, I think, in five years, you’re going to say, ‘Wow, Mitch Barnhart knew exactly what he was doing when he drove that guy in on a bus in Rupp Arena to introduce him.’”
