Is Mark Pope the National Coach of the Year? CBS Sports thinks so.

Mark Pope rallied from behind to put together a competitive roster in the spring, starting late with no recruiting foundation or even a staff for that matter as he added each piece one by one. What looked like an island of misfit toys as things were unfolding ranging from mid-major standouts to high-major award-winners came together as a cohesive unit with a clear vision in his first season at Kentucky.

There were skeptics with questions regarding top-end talent and athleticism, wondering if the guys coming from the likes of Drexel, Dayton and Fairleigh Dickinson could compete in the SEC.

Fast forward to the midway point of the regular season and Pope is seen as an early favorite to win National Coach of the Year, according to Gary Parrish of CBS Sports.

Racking up five wins against top-15 opponents and signature victories away from home over Duke, Gonzaga and Mississippi State, the first-year coach joins Bruce Pearl and Jon Scheyer as top candidates — Kentucky’s guy coming in at No. 1.

”No. 1, I’ve got Mark Pope at Kentucky. You can argue Jon Scheyer or Bruce Pearl, other people as well, but I just love the story at Kentucky. He was not their first choice to replace John Calipari, but he’s been a perfect choice. 14-4 this season, he’s re-engaged that fanbase, he’s got a legitimate Final Four contender. Yes, there are other first-year coaches around the country doing excellent work — Pat Kelsey at Louisville, Darian DeVries at West Virginia, but nobody is doing more than Mark Pope at Kentucky. Right now, he’d be my National Coach of the Year.”

Come for the Mark Pope love, stay for the Kentucky is a legitimate Final Four contender take.

Who deserves Coach of the Year in college basketball this season?@GaryParrishCBS named his top three candidates so far. pic.twitter.com/iZ1e42mZP2

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) January 23, 2025

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