Mark Pope purchases luxurious estate in upscale Lexington neighborhood

Mark Pope is here to stay in Lexington, purchasing a luxurious six-bedroom, six-bathroom home just outside of the city for $4.75 million earlier this month.

According to KSR’s Tyler Thompson, the new Pope estate is located in The Grange Estates on Paris Pike next to the Lexington Country Club, roughly a 15-minute drive to both Rupp Arena and the Joe Craft Center. Along with six bedrooms and bathrooms, the 10,492-square-foot home also features three half bathrooms, a pool, and a detached three-car garage across an 11.61-acre plot.

A photo of the home can be seen below:

UK men’s basketball coach Mark Pope buys Lexington home in gated estate https://t.co/8UCbDaVLnA pic.twitter.com/YOna0wgelm

— UK Fanatics (@UKFanaticsOnly) July 8, 2024

Thompson also revealed that the home was not listed for sale on the market when the Pope’s decided to purchase the home. It was previously owned by former Miss Kentucky and local broadcast journalist Melanie Glasscock Simpson Conley and assessed for $2.61 million earlier this year, per the Fayette County Clerk’s office.

Former Kentucky coach John Calipari chose to spend his stay in Lexington in the city. His well-known home on Richmond Road became an attraction for those driving down the busy street, pointing at Calipari’s house and asking the question everyone already knew — “Y’know Coach Cal lives there, right?” On the private countryside, fans won’t be able to do that with their new coach.

However, what fans will ultimately care about at the end of the day is how Pope’s squad performs on the court this season. It will have been a decade since the Wildcats have made an appearance in a Final Four this coming March.

For years, fans begged Calipari to put together a team full of been-there-done-that veterans who can shoot deep balls and defend. From having a point guard in Lamont Butler who has hit game-winners in the Final Four, to a 7-foot, three-time defensive player of the year in Amari Williams, to Pope’s most trusted scorer from BYU in Jaxson Robinson.

The roster also features shooters on the wing like Koby Brea, Ansley Almonor, along with Robinson on the wing. All three averaged double-digits for the respective schools last year. Add a bevy of big men including Williams (7-foot), Andrew Carr (6-foot-11) and Brandon Garrison (6-foot-10), and it appears that Pope has many weapons at his disposal for his inaugural season.

While Pope continues to prep his group for the 2024-25 college basketball season, the question remains — how often will Pope utilize his Lexington Country Club membership?