Kentucky basketball had a lot of praise about its performance in the Transfer Portal last season, but then the season started. It was clear that the roster was not built well. As the 2026 season teeters, the clamor for a modern "front office" like those at Duke or Arkansas has reached a fever pitch. On Wednesday, we got our first sign that Mark Pope is listening.
According to a report from On3’s Joe Tipton, Kentucky is targeting Keegan Brown for a significant front office role. While the name might not move the needle for casual fans, it tells us everything we need to know about how Mark Pope is viewing the offseason.
You may not know Keegan Brown, but Mark Pope does
Brown and Pope have a history that dates back to BYU, where Brown climbed the ladder from video coordinator to Director of Player Development. Most recently, he’s been serving as the head video coordinator for the Wisconsin Herd (the Milwaukee Bucks’ G-League affiliate).
This hire fits the mold of the "24/7" scouting role Pope recently discussed. As the eyes and ears of the program, Brown won’t just scout opponents; he’ll be tasked with scouring footage and analytics to find the exact fits for Pope’s system before the portal even opens.
You had an Auburn staffer get called out by a mid-major head coach for trying to get a jump start on the portal by coming to their conference tournament and sitting front row. This is college basketball now, Kentucky needs to be right there.
Ian Borders. Auburn.
— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) March 11, 2026
The "cough, Mark Fox, cough" concern
I personally would have loved to see a hire with a broader web of national connections. Hiring "your guys" just because you’ve worked with them rarely works. The "Mark Fox" approach can be a dangerous game in the SEC.
Fox, who is supposedly the defensive coordinator for this Cats team, has struggled to really make an impact on the court, something a lot of people could have guessed by his 201-220 record at his last two stops. But Pope knew him, and so he hired him. He is very experienced, but is it good experience?
With Brown, though, there is undeniable value in having a director of video who has seen the game at the NBA level, even if that is in the G-League.
For Brown to hold that role in a professional organization is a sign he knows how to evaluate under pressure. If the two sides finalize the agreement, it’s a step in the right direction. But let’s be clear: it still leaves Kentucky short of a true General Manager. Whether Pope eventually makes that "Big Fish" hire or continues to build with his trusted circle will define the 2027 roster, and his future in Lexington.