When Kentucky hired Mark Pope as its new head basketball coach last April, they knew it wouldn’t come cheap—but the bill from his former employer, Brigham Young University, was still a hefty one. According to records obtained by USA Today, BYU invoiced Kentucky for $6 million to cover Pope’s contract buyout.
UK athletics spokesperson Tony Neely, along with the university’s legal office, confirmed that the school paid the invoice in full. However, they made it clear that Kentucky did not cover any additional tax-related expenses on top of the buyout. While $6 million is a significant price tag, it’s not the most expensive buyout in men’s college basketball history—Wake Forest set the bar higher when it paid former coach Danny Manning nearly $14.7 million after firing him in 2020. But compared to more recent buyouts, Kentucky’s payout stands out. For instance, Georgia paid just $1.25 million to buy out Florida’s Mike White in 2022, and Louisville secured Pat Kelsey from the College of Charleston for $1.1 million.
Pope, a beloved former Wildcat and a key player on Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team, returned to his alma mater in April 2024. His first-year salary sits at $5 million, with potential performance bonuses. His contract runs through March 2029, but a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 would automatically extend it by another year, with a full-term limit of five years.
Before taking the reins at Kentucky, Pope led BYU’s basketball program starting in 2019. His impact was immediate—his first season saw the Cougars finish 24-8, leading to a contract extension through 2027. However, because BYU is a private institution owned by the Mormon church, details of Pope’s contract have remained largely undisclosed.
As of now, Kentucky holds a 21-10 overall record (10-8 in SEC play), ranking sixth in the conference behind Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. The Wildcats are set to face the winner of the No. 14 seed Oklahoma vs. No. 11 seed Georgia matchup in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday. According to ESPN’s latest Bracketology update, they’re projected as a No. 3 seed in the South Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Steve Berkowitz contributed to this report.
For more college sports coverage, contact Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com or follow her on X @petitus25.
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