"It blew my mind": Mark Pope shares first reaction to rumors of John Calipari leaving Kentucky to take Arkansas job

Mark Pope discussed his 2024 summer catch-up with John Calipari in a snippet uploaded by Kentucky Sports Radio on its YouTube channel on Wednesday. The 1996 NCAA champion shared that he met Tubby Smith and Calipari at Marriott’s M Club Lounge after finishing a workout around the NCAA semifinals telecast.

Pope, who was coaching BYU at the time, has strong ties to Kentucky. He greeted UK legends Smith and Calipari and even snapped a group picture. However, he was caught off guard by what came next:

"Thirty hours later, all of a sudden this news breaks that there's this rumor going around that John Calipari is taking the Arkansas job. It blew my mind," Pope said (at 0:35).

"And then a few days later, I got a call, started a conversation with Mitch (UK director of athletics) and everything happened fast."

Calipari’s exit from Kentucky was a shock to fans and the college basketball world. He had been with the program for 15 years, developing nearly 50 NBA players, including 30-plus first-round picks and three No. 1 overall picks.

John Calipari reportedly had increasing tensions with the Wildcats' athletic department, complications with facility upgrades, NIL deals and differences in vision. He felt the program needed a new voice to continue its growth.

The move has sparked a rivalry between UK fans and Calipari. However, Mark Pope, despite siding with his alma mater, sees Calipari as nothing short of a mentor.

"I love Cal," he said (at 0:58). "He's been a great mentor to me, he's been a great mentor to just about every young coach in college basketball ... he kept Kentucky at the forefront of all of college basketball and he'll be remembered here forever as a legend."

John Calipari won his first battle with Mark Pope

Just as his decision to lead the Arkansas Razorbacks, John Calipari’s first game back in Lexington on Feb. 1 was another surprise. His team entered Rupp Arena having lost six of its last seven games, while Mark Pope's squad had won six of its last seven ranked matchups.

The game featured five lead changes in an intense first half, with Arkansas taking a 46-45 lead into the break.

NCAA Basketball: Arkansas at Kentucky - Source: Imagn

Moreover, Cal's team churned out one of its best shooting displays of the season, hitting 55.2% from the field and 52.0% from three-point range. The Razorbacks also moved the ball better than Kentucky, recorded eight extra steals and forced 13 turnovers, ultimately defeating Mark Pope's Wildcats 89-79.