SEC Analyst on Mark Pope 'He is putting the brand of Kentucky first in everything that he does'

Mark Pope is selling the brand of Kentucky basketball.

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope hypes up the crowd during Big Blue Madness on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024 at Rupp Arena. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The early takeaway from the Mark Pope era has been how much the Wildcat's new coach is trying to make sure Kentucky basketball is about Kentucky. Coach Pope often says, "This is Kentucky's team," and he proves that every day by the way he coaches his team.

On SEC Now Daymeon Fishback had lots of great things to say about the direction Coach Pope is taking the program. Here is what Fishback had to say, "He is putting the brand of Kentucky first in everything that he does, he understands how Kentucky works."

This exemplifies exactly what Coach Pope is bringing to the program. He is recruiting players by showing the history of Kentucky basketball and trying to say, "Help us hang our ninth banner." Coach John Calipari recruited based on how much money his players have made in the NBA. There is nothing wrong with this approach as it worked knowing no one recruits like Coach Calipari, but Coach Pope is taking another approach.

There is nothing wrong with how either of these coaches are recruiting but Coach Pope's approach might sit a little better with Big Blue Nation than Coach Calipari's.

Coach Pope is going to fight tooth and nail to bring Kentucky its ninth National Title, and he has passed this message along to his players as they also share this mantra.

The Wildcats are going to be special for a very long time thanks to the way Coach Pope knows that this program is Kentucky's team, and he wants to bring it back to the top of college basketball.