Mark Pope prioritizing conditioning, 'speed dating' during summer workouts in year two at Kentucky

You’d have to be a real Grinch to poke holes in Mark Pope‘s debut season at Kentucky, making history with eight top-15 wins and returning to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019. With no high school recruiting base and a late start in the portal, the Wildcats exceeded all expectations in year one.

Can they turn that storybook start into sustained success? That process starts now, summer practice starting Monday to begin a run of eight weeks with eight hours of training per week — four hours being skill-related instruction. Move-in started in early June, followed by some early team bonding and service meetings to drive home the off-court side of things.

Now, it’s about the on-court side.

“I love this group,” Pope told KSR in an exclusive one-one-one interview in Colorado Springs. “We haven’t been on the court together — they just went through week zero with all their onboarding, which is academic stuff and health stuff, all the testing. We’ve spent some time together as a team off the court, we had an unbelievable service meeting last Thursday that was really special with our guys, our four returners, talking about the opportunities they had to serve in the community. We have eight groups coming to talk about opportunities for our guys. So that was incredible.

“That’s our first team meeting every year, and I think it’s the best. I can’t wait to get on the court with these guys.”

Pope joked about the first-day conditioning test at the Joe Craft Center, telling fans to ‘say a prayer for your boys’ as they get put through the wringer for the first time this summer — and for many of them, as Wildcats.

1st day conditioning test. Say a prayer for your boys BBN. Work. Let’s go get it!! pic.twitter.com/LGFS5YyvQ5

— Mark Pope (@CoachMarkPope) June 17, 2025

Setting the tone is important, Pope pointing out conditioning as the biggest difference between year-one preparation and how the staff is handling year two. With 14 scholarship-level pieces capable of earning run, he wants to stretch the rotation as far as possible so legs are fresh and the talent comes at opponents in waves.

A laundry list of injuries derailed that plan last season, but now, they have the depth to withstand a bite or two from that pesky bug. Making sure they’re ready to play at 110 percent every second they’re on the floor is priority No. 1 over the next eight weeks.

“We have a new focus on conditioning this summer, it’s going to be new,” Pope told KSR. “We’re starting with a conditioning test (Tuesday), and that’s going to be a huge emphasis for us the way we want to play this year. That’s a little bit of a new vibe for us.”

We saw the aftermath of that conditioning test Tuesday afternoon, exhaustion clearly getting the best of the Wildcats with hands on knees and bodies scattered all over the floor. They got the S&C staff’s best shot, no doubt about it.

It’s not just about physical ability, though, Pope also cracking down on the personal side of things, as well. The players have to know and trust each other, difference-makers in a read-and-react system like the one he’s crafted in Lexington.

“Of course, we have to get to know each other,” he continued. “This speed dating that we go through is really, really important. Guys have already made some significant headway there, getting to know each other and loving each other and wanting to take care of each other and be in it for each other.

“That’s going to be massively important for this team, like it was last year, but even more important here now.”

If the players can learn each other, the staff and how Pope likes to play, this group can be great.

“Being able to function on the court,” he told KSR. “Understanding our terminology, understanding how we play, understanding how the coaching staff communicates. Those are kind of three areas where we’ve got to be great.”

The grind won’t be easy — but at least the Wildcats won’t be doing it alone. Pope is right there with them every step of the way.