"Just bursts into tears — inconsolable tears": Mark Pope reveals Kentucky star's emotional reaction to season-ending injury

Mark Pope shared details about senior Kentucky guard Jaxson Robinson's season-ending wrist injury, with the player set to undergo surgery on Wednesday. The Wildcats coach recounted the emotional scene in the locker room during his late-night UK HealthCare radio show on Monday.

Pope said that Robinson might get mad at him for sharing the intimate details but he felt compelled to highlight the raw emotion poured out by the player.

"Man, it's just one of the worst parts of basketball," Mark Pope said. "Jax has worked so hard, and he's been such a huge part of this team and was playing so well.

"You only recognize how hard that was for him because we went back in the locker room, everybody’s celebrating like crazy. The celebration breaks, and then Jax just bursts into tears — inconsolable tears.

"What's really special about him and about this team is that Jax, in his heart of hearts, knew the second he went down. He tried to go back into the game but just couldn't really move his wrist, couldn't catch a ball, and couldn't do anything. The pain was pretty excruciating, so he knew before halftime."

It was a bittersweet ending for Robinson, who likely saw his college career come to a close last week against Oklahoma.

Mark Pope mentioned that Robinson was excited to play against the Sooners, as he was recovering well from the wrist injury sustained during practice on Feb. 10. He was playing well despite not feeling 100 percent and thought that he was close to being fully healthy.

However, the fall on his wrist during the first half against Oklahoma was devastating. He had 7 points on 3-of-7 shooting in the first 18 minutes before the injury occurred.

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Mark Pope talks about team's emotional response to Jackson Robinson's heartbreaking injury

After a win in the final home game of the season against LSU and a senior day ceremony that celebrated the careers of departing Kentucky players, including Jaxson Robinson, coach Mark Pope reflected on the emotional toll his players endured due to Robinson's injury.

"I think the guys are devastated for him and really sad for us because he's such a massive part of this team," Pope said postgame (5:17).

"These guys love Jax so much. Jax loves these guys so much. It's just hard to make sense of why he doesn't get a chance to finish this with these guys. It's really brutal."

Robinson came to Kentucky last offseason as a graduate transfer after spending his first four collegiate seasons at Texas A&M, Arkansas and BYU.