Austin Pope joins the UK staff as a graduate assistant

Austin Pope joins the UK staff as a graduate assistant

The Kentucky Wildcats will begin a new era in Lexington this upcoming season with Mark Pope taking over the program.

Pope has been working to assemble a roster and coaching staff to tip off the new era in a few months.

Pope has successfully put together an impressive coaching staff by landing names like Alvin Brooks III, Cody Fueger, Jason Hart, Mikhail McLean, and Mark Fox.

Now, Pope has hired a new graduate assistant in former Chaminade point guard Austin Pope.

Pope posted on social media about the news about joining Mark Pope’s staff. His Twitter profile reads, “Graduate assistant for @kentuckymbb.”

As a college player, the California native was a First-Team All-Pacific West honoree as a senior in the 2017-18 season after averaging 14.8 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals. He led the PacWest Conference and ranked 27th nationally with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.7.

After his college career, Pope played professionally in Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Serbia, and in the NBA G-League. He’s since had high school coaching stints with Viewpoint School and Burroughs High School. He was also an AAU coach for BTI Basketball Club.

Pope will now look to make his mark in the college ranks while helping to usher in a new era of Kentucky Basketball.