ESPN's Seth Greenberg calls Mark Pope 'perfect fit' for Kentucky

ESPN analyst and College GameDay co-host Seth Greenberg has been one of John Calipari‘s closest friends for nearly five decades. Not that Coach Cal was immune from criticism — he said the Hall of Famer had been “behind the curve” his last five years at Kentucky following the loss to Oakland — but if there was one person you could count on to go to bat for Calipari, it was and always will be Greenberg. There’s unwavering loyalty there.

So if there is one person you can trust to share his honest take on the current state of Kentucky basketball following Coach Cal’s departure and Mark Pope’s move to Lexington, it’s undoubtedly the 22-year head coach with stops at Virginia Tech, South Florida and Long Beach State.

John Calipari’s move to Arkansas

We’ll start with the first part of that equation with the breakup.

“He’s happy. He did incredible things here. I think some of the things he was able to accomplish were maybe taken for granted, but he had a heck of a run,” Greenberg told KSR. “Joe B. Hall said to him it was a ten-year job. He did amazing things, won a national championship, multiple Final Fours, impacted an incredible number of lives. At the end, for whatever reason, they weren’t on the same page.”

Kentucky was Calipari’s dream job, but all good things must come to an end. Now he gets his own fresh start in Fayetteville with the internal support he’s been looking for — what ultimately pulled him away from Lexington.

“Now all of a sudden he gets a chance to go to a new place — a new start, with a new energy, new passion. He looks great. He’s excited about what he’s doing, he’s working with people that he really is connected with. So, yeah, it’s bittersweet,” Greenberg added. “Let’s face it, coming to Kentucky was a dream job for him, so leaving after what he accomplished is hard. But I’m excited for him and I’m excited for Kentucky. It’s a fresh start for Mark Pope, too.”

Is the gap closing in college basketball?

How about the Wildcats landing on Pope to begin with? That was a move that ruffled feathers initially for fans dreaming big with the likes of Dan Hurley and Scott Drew. The dust has settled quite nicely and support was nearly unanimous after sleeping on it for a night or two, but those early nos weren’t totally insignificant, says Greenberg.

For starters, it shows that the gap between traditional blue bloods and the rest of college basketball isn’t what it used to be. It also shows that Kentucky isn’t for everybody.

“I think it speaks volumes of basically what’s happened in college basketball. 10 years ago or 15 years ago, I think those guys are coming,” Greenberg told KSR. “Maybe some of those guys saw what John went through and said, ‘Wait a second, I want to put my family through that?’ There’s also a more level playing field today. More schools have resources and Kentucky’s facilities have to continue to improve.”

“Everyone’s invested in basketball.”

The Kentucky name has always carried significant weight nationally, and other programs have had to invest mightily to catch up. For that reason, the Wildcats can’t live in the past forever, continuing to push forward with the resources and infrastructure the winningest program in history deserves.

If you let the gap close, you become Indiana.

“Rupp Arena is great and the practice facility is fine — it’s just not top-15 practice facility nationally. If everything is going to be the very best, they probably have to do some things for Mark in terms of helping him there,” Greenberg said. “There are more good jobs in college basketball, there are more jobs that pay an exorbitant amount of money, there are more jobs where you have a great chance to win.

“There was a time in the SEC where not everyone was invested in basketball. Now everyone’s invested in basketball. The commitment to basketball is not just hiring coaches, it’s also about the infrastructure and facilities.”

Kentucky finds a ‘perfect fit’ in Pope

So what about the guy Kentucky did get and what it means for the Wildcats, assuming he’s given the tools to stay ahead of the curve? The college basketball analyst is confident Pope is the right man for the job in this new era for the program.

He’s just got to remember this isn’t 1996 anymore and the pressure he felt back then as a player isn’t what he’ll experience now as a coach in 2024 and beyond.

“I think they ended up with a guy who I think is a perfect fit. I like Mark. He’s got great energy, great passion for the university. He understands what Kentucky is,” Greenberg told KSR. “I’m not sure he totally understands the new Kentucky in relation to the current culture of college basketball, but he’s gonna. He’s gonna dig into his experiences here. People are excited, and I’m excited for him. He’s a really good offensive basketball coach — very, very creative.”

Managing early expectations

Pope also happens to be entering the SEC at its strongest, a time when a handful of different programs can win the league year after year. It’s not hilariously top-heavy the way it used to be — everyone can play.

What happens if he finishes in the middle of the pack of an excellent conference, similar to BYU’s 23-11 overall record with a 10-8 mark in the Big 12 a year ago under Pope? That could be a reality he has to deal with in year one.

“He recruited players that fit his system, which is the key to coaching a system. But this league is crazy,” Greenberg said. “You could go 12-8 (in the SEC) and have a really good team. 12-8 with this fanbase, with this expectation? He’s gonna have to have some thick skin. It’s just the way it is. I think he’s got the personality to handle it, but it’s a different job. It’s a different job than when Rick (Pitino) took it, it’s a different job than when Cal took it, because college basketball and college athletics has changed so much.”

Doing things Pope’s way

Greenberg believes in Pope because he stays true to himself and won’t be looking to recreate the magic Coach Cal, Tubby Smith, Rick Pitino, Joe B. Hall and Adolph Rupp brought to Lexington. He’ll create his own his way.

Can he avoid the distractions and noise along the way to get there? That’s the only thing standing between Pope and banner No. 9.

“He’s going to be his own guy. Mark Pope is genuine and authentic. He is 100 percent his own person and I love that. I mean, he is so easy to be around. He never has a bad day. That mindset is really important here,” Greenberg told KSR. “You can’t let static become a distraction. You tell the players they can’t let static become a distraction, but you’ve got to block that out as a coach, too. You’ve got to live that, especially today, because social media and everything — especially here.

“I think he’s got the right personality and the right mindset. There is always a transition period in good ways and bad ways, but I think people are gonna be more patient and understand the weight of the job.”