The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
DEREK ANDERSON
On why he believes new Kentucky coach Mark Pope will be successful ...
“Because he understands the assignment. That’s it. He understands: just win. If he has to make adjustments and say, ‘OK, I don’t have enough talent. I need more talent.’ (Or), ‘If I have to change up something, I’m going to change up. I’m not looking for just one situation.’ We’ve never worried about anything else except for today. It’s a precious, present moment and he knows that. Like we talked on the bus coming here, he’s like, ‘Guys, anything you can do to help me, make sure you let me know.’ That means he wants to grow. He’s not trying to be like, ‘I’m set.’ He wants to be better and that’s what you do to be a champion. You have to want to be better first. Mark understands that.
“I’m happy for him. I think he’s gonna do really well because he cares. Not about just little things here and there. He cares about the whole (program). So I think he’ll win because of that.”
REX CHAPMAN On Mark Pope’s hire ...
“It’s just perfect. I don’t know that we could have made a better hire, I really don’t. I know maybe some other guys were offered. I (joked with) Mark on the bus, I said, ‘Imagine what (UConn coach) Dan Hurley would have done in here.’ But no, he’s the perfect guy. He’s just the perfect guy to lead this program. He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t cuss. He’s grounded in his faith. He’s can handle a room. He’s a Rhodes Scholar, come on. It’s great.”
On how much the Kentucky basketball program needed a day like Sunday ...
“It’s just different. Cal (former Kentucky coach John Calipari) did so much great stuff for this program, and nationally, we were always right at the front. But you have to remember, we also were with Tubby (Smith) and we also were with Rick (Pitino) and we also were with Eddie (Sutton) and Joe B. (Hall) and Adolph (Rupp). This program, like Mark said, it’s just different. You have to know that going in.
“We’ve had a couple of coaches come in here that have struggled because they didn’t really get the magnitude of this job. All the guys that have done a great job here understood the assignment and I don’t think we have anybody better that understands that assignment better than Mark.”
On how former UK players like himself can help the program going forward ...
“(Pope) spoke of his group text with the ‘96 guys. Those guys know what’s going on. They know what they’re watching and they will be in Mark’s ear about whatever they’re doing — good and bad. When Mark said he’s ‘got a little PTSD’ from Rick (Pitino), several of the guys tapped Richie (Farmer) on the shoulder and said, ‘You doing OK, Richie?’ Because he’s got PTSD. Look, it’s hard. It was hard playing for Rick. It’ll be hard playing for Mark, too. But it’ll be worth it, because they’re gonna win. And winning is what you’re here for.”
On what it means to have a former UK player and alum leading the program ...
“I just think it’s different. I don’t know that it’s better or worse. It’s just different . ... People remember Mark. I mean, it’s been 30 years, but those those teams in the 90s — my team, our teams, put this place on probation. It was at the (bottom). We damn near got the death penalty.
“And those teams Mark was a part of, they galvanized and righted the ship for what we have today. I think most of the people that were in here today know that.”
On why he believes new Kentucky coach Mark Pope will be successful ...
“Well, I know where he came from. I know the coach that he played for. He talked about coach Pitino and what he meant. That was the same guy that I played for. And I know they’re gonna be a tough-nosed team, I know they’re gonna work hard every day and I know they’re gonna play defense. They’re gonna play hard and be tough. And his teams like to shoot a lot of 3-pointers. He talked about, ‘We don’t like to finish second in anything here at Kentucky.’ So I think they play a fun style. They score a lot of points. And he’s a very intelligent coach and a very intelligent person. He’ll surround himself with great coaches and people that are going to move us in the right direction. And that’s why I think he’ll be successful.”