BYU assistant Nick Robinson is 'name to watch' as possible addition to Mark Pope's staff

New Kentucky head coach Mark Pope has already added four assistants to his first staff in Lexington. Who will be next to join them?

According to The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker, a “name to watch” is BYU assistant coach Nick Robinson, who worked under Pope with the Cougars from 2019 until the 2023-24 season.

Robinson, who played four seasons at Stanford (2001-05), has been an assistant on and off at the Division I level since 2007. He’s made stops at Stanford (2007-08), LSU (2011-12), Seattle (2017-19), and BYU as an assistant. Robinson was also the head coach at Southern Utah from 2012-16, accumulating a 28-90 overall record.

Name to watch for Mark Pope’s Kentucky staff: Nick Robinson, former Stanford captain who worked on Stanford, LSU and Pope’s BYU staffs and was head coach at Southern Utah. pic.twitter.com/Zm1HlKcBlg

— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) May 31, 2024

Originally from Missouri, Robinson got his coaching start as a volunteer assistant at Rio Rancho High School in New Mexico during the 2005-06 season. The following year, he returned to his alma mater as the director of operations before diving back into coaching with the Cardinal. Robinson also spent a season as an assistant at William Jewell College (DII) during the 2008-09 season.

In the two seasons prior to taking over as an assistant at LSU in 2011-12, he was first the executive assistant to the head coach for the Tigers in 2009-10 and then the program’s director of operations in 2010-11. Pope eventually hired Robinson onto his BYU staff in April 2019.

During his playing days at Stanford, Robinson helped the Cardinal make four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Pac-10 regular season title, a conference tournament championship, and a No. 1 ranking — all coming in the 2003-24 season. He was a team captain as a junior and senior, hitting one of the biggest shots in school history. In Feb. 2004, Robinson nailed a floating three-pointer from near halfcourt right at the buzzer to take down then-No. 12 Arizona.

Robinson graduated from Stanford in 2005 with a Master’s in sociology and a Bachelor’s in political science. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil.