Mark Pope has his rotation. Now he wants his program.
Kentucky's new head coach told CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein that his current 12-man roster already contains “all of the pieces” to own the minutes this season. But Pope isn’t done — and he’s not just chasing stars. He’s hunting for long-term value.
“I’d like to play them all. I have 12 guys right now. I have 12 guys that will help us, and we’re actually going to try and round out this roster,” Pope told Rothstein. “I’m actually scouring the planet right now for guys that would fit in as maybe a redshirt guy that would kill it in practice or be a last year of your career guy that wants to come here and put on this one-of-one jersey and be a part of this.”
Yes, he's looking at possible late additions — but not for minutes. For culture. For continuity. For what Pope called, “the standard.”
🔍 A global search for development and depth
Pope made clear he’s open to players from anywhere, not just the United States. He’s evaluating athletes from all corners of the world who might embrace the idea of coming in, learning the system, and redshirting if needed.
In an era when most players demand immediate minutes, Pope is zigging where others zag. He’s betting that a few will still commit to development first.
That’s not a given — but if it works, Kentucky could establish something rare in today’s game: a pipeline of multi-year players built behind the scenes.
🧩 “We have all the pieces”
So what does Pope mean when he says Kentucky already has “all the pieces”? That the heavy lifting is done. The foundation is set.
“We need to add a couple more pieces,” Pope said. “But right now, we have our roster that is going to own the minutes on the floor. We have all of the pieces.”
All of the pieces to go win number 9.
“We can do it,” he said. “We can get it done. There are a lot of teams that can get it done, but if we do this right with the right guys, we can get this done. That’s our job. That’s what we’re supposed to do, that’s the standard here and nothing less is acceptable.”
🛠️ Why redshirts and projects matter
In a transfer-heavy landscape, continuity is rare. But developmental players — whether redshirts, high-upside freshmen, or international projects — can become invaluable over time.
They’re the glue guys. The culture carriers. The practice standouts that evolve into contributors.
If Pope can land just one or two who embrace that vision, Kentucky could build something sustainable — a blend of elite transfers and internal development, the way championship programs are built.
Whether that idea works in today’s player-first, portal-powered college basketball remains to be seen. But it’s bold. And it’s very, very Mark Pope.