Kentucky have a new athletic director in the form of J Batt, and the former Michigan State AD is acquainting himself with the key players in the Wildcats’ setup. Head basketball coach of the program, Mark Pope, has now revealed his first statement upon meeting his new AD.
Pope took to the social media platform X to reveal that he had a great first meeting with J Batt and that he’s looking forward to working with him as the new college basketball season nears the start.
“Had first meeting with J and the UK head coaches today. He is going to do great things here. So happy to welcome his whole family to UK. This is gonna be fun. Let’s go CATS!,” Pope wrote.
While some fans seemed excited by what the future holds, some believe that Batt’s ruthless approach in previous tenures could impact Pope too, and they weren’t afraid to voice it.
“You’re on the Hot seat more now than ever. You have ruined our program and new boss knows. That soft schedule you put together ain’t going to save you,” one fan said.
“He’s going to fire you because you suck. Enjoy 😊,” another wrote.
“Sounds like an exciting start! I think welcoming the whole family is such a smart move. It shows a commitment to building community, which can really boost morale. What are you most looking forward to seeing from him?” one said.
Is Mark Pope’s Job in Danger?
Considering J Batt’s track record of firing coaches early into his tenures as AD, some believe Mark Pope could be on the hot seat with the new AD arriving.
Batt has fired coaches just five months into his AD tenure before, and Pope is already under fire for underdelivering with the squad available to him.
That being said, meaningful additions such as Milan Momcilovic, Ryan Hampton, and the return of Malachi Moreno have allayed fears of an underwhelming squad in the new season, though it brings added pressure to deliver on the big stage now. Only time will tell whether Pope can get results and keep his job.
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