Kentucky’s Mark Pope sends 2024 NBA draft-day wishes toward Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham and other Wildcats: "I'm excited for each of them"

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope sent a message to the former Wildcats, who are expected to be drafted in the 2024 NBA draft. The first round of the draft is set for June 26, with Round 2 set for June 27.

Although Pope wasn't the head coach of the Wildcats last season, he still took to social media to send well-wishes to former Kentucky players in the draft.

"Best of luck to Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Justin Edwards, Antonio Reeves, and Tre Mitchell on #NBADraft Day. I’m excited for each of them to see their dreams become a reality and join a fraternity of special Kentucky players," Pope wrote.

In CBS Sports' latest mock draft heading into the 2024 NBA draft, the first Wildcat off the board is Reed Sheppard, who they have going third overall to the Houston Rockets. Last season, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds.

Dillingham is then mocked to go 15th overall to the Miami Heat. Dillingham averaged 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

The outlet then has Justin Edwards going 31st overall to the Toronto Raptors with the first pick of the second round. Reeves is then mocked at 53rd overall to Detroit, while Mitchell is not projected to be drafted.

Mark Pope isn't worried about replacing John Calipari

Kentucky hired Mark Pope after longtime head coach John Calipari left to take the job at Arkansas.

Calipari is one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever, but Pope isn't concerned about the pressure of having to replace him.

"Well, the one thing I know is [Calipari] is one of the greatest coaches to ever coach here," Pope said, via ESPN. "I mean, he went to four Final Fours in five years and coached a million draft picks and represented Kentucky really, really well and gave his heart and soul to this place.

"As [Big Blue Nation], and I'm just as much a member of [Big Blue Nation] as anyone, all of us will be grateful to him forever. And he's a Hall of Fame coach. But one of the things that you learn really early on if you have great mentors in this game is that you just have to coach you. I have to be me. I can't be [Rick Pitino], I can't be [Tubby Smith], I can't be [Calipari]."

Pope was the head coach of BYU, and last season, he led the school to a 23-11 record and a berth in the NCAA tournament.