WATCH: Mark Pope chats with KSR, Cats dominate at USA Training Camp

Life was good for the Kentucky Wildcats in Colorado Springs, Mark Pope leading the charge as a court coach and Jasper Johnson turning heads alongside Malachi Moreno as top standouts at USA U19 Training Camp. Oh, and Pope got to coach nine players with UK offers in the 2026 recruiting class — talk about an advantage down the road.

KSR sat down with the Kentucky head coach at the prestigious event to talk about the ‘rare honor’ it is to wear USA across his chest and work hands-on with two incoming freshmen, especially two local talents representing the Bluegrass State.

What was it like to add the color red to his wardrobe to go with the blue and white he’s used to wearing? How good were Johnson and Moreno competing against the best of the best? How are things going back in Lexington with the start of summer workouts? Any new thoughts on the return of Otega Oweh, the addition of Braydon Hawthorne and Walker Horn’s surprise withdrawal for one last run as a Wildcat? Don’t forget about the House settlement and what it means for the basketball program, either.

KSR has been pumping out content all week following the interview, which you can read below:

• Mark Pope coaching USA Basketball a ‘rare honor’ with Johnson and Moreno both ‘jaw-dropping great’
• Jasper Johnson ‘completely immune’ to pressure, Malachi Moreno ‘head-spinning good’ at USA U19 Training Camp
• Mark Pope prioritizing conditioning, ‘speed dating’ during summer workouts in year two at Kentucky
• ‘In a really selfish way,’ Mark Pope wanted Otega Oweh back as a mentor and ‘help us win a ton of games’
• Braydon Hawthorne can be ‘really special,’ while Walker Horn’s leadership role is ‘massively important’
• Mark Pope trusts Mitch Barnhart, Greg Sankey on revenue-sharing, future of college athletics

Want to hear it from the man himself? We’ve got you covered with 11 minutes of Pope on the KSR YouTube channel. Take a look:

We know how Pope feels about his freshmen — and we also heard Team USA coaches Grant McCasland of Texas Tech and Micah Shrewsberry of Notre Dame break down their games, too.

“He’s going to play hard, he’s going to be able to make shots, he’s going to be a good player,” Shrewsberry said of Johnson.

“He’s always going to earn his keep rebounding, defending, being a great, elite player around the basket, and being a guy that plays with a ton of energy,” McCasland added of Moreno.

That full breakdown can be found here. You can see for yourself how the Wildcats played, though, with KSR’s highlights from the event — which also feature some of Kentucky’s top recruiting targets in action, as well.

Check out those eight-and-a-half minutes below:

More Kentucky News and Views on the KSR YouTube Channel

Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its coverage of the Wildcats in the most ridiculous manner possible on our YouTube Channel. Here you will be able to find interviews with coaches and players, as well as commentary from the KSR crew. From Rapid Reactions following big events to our lengthy lineup of live shows, subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel to stay up to date on everything happening around the Big Blue Nation.