It's a new chapter for Kentucky basketball, who are preparing for their first season following the departure of John Calipari. The team will be coached by Mark Pope, and it seems like the school is already bringing in new names to help him out. On Monday, Pope announced two new additions to the team staff. Nick Robinson has been appointed as director of operations while Randy Towner enters the picture as the Wildcats' head strength coach.
Kentucky basketball's new faces
Pope and Robinson are no strangers to each other, as both worked for years together at BYU. Pope coached the Cougars for five seasons, with Robinson serving as one of his assistants. Together, they tallied a 110-52 record with BYU, appearing in the March Madness tournament twice.
Last season, during Pope and Robinson's final campaign with the Cougars, BYU tallied a 23-10 (10-8) record during the regular season, entering the big dance as a sixth seed. While their postseason run immediately ended, both men will try to reach the tournament once again, this time with another school.
“Nick Robinson has worked in college basketball in every capacity from being a special assistant to the head coach to the head coach himself,” Pope said, per UK Athletics. “He’s had incredible success, worked in every area of the country, has a great track record and an incredible future in front of him.”
“…Nick is meticulously organized and extremely passionate about building a high-level program. We’re happy to have him on (the) staff,” Pope added.
As for Towner, he's coming off a stint with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he worked for two seasons. The strength coach also has experience with various college programs in the past.
“Randy Towner is one of the elite strength and conditioning coaches in all of basketball,” Pope said. “He spent time in the college ranks before moving on to one of the best staffs in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks. Our guys are blessed to have him here. He has a ton of juice, a wealth of expertise and will embrace what Kentucky basketball is all about.”
A new era dawns on the Wildcats
Coaching for Kentucky is no easy task. The university has a rich basketball history, highlighted by its eight National Championship titles. The fandom has high expectations, and the pressure isn't for everyone. Nonetheless, Mark Pope has stepped up to the plate. He knows what the culture is like, being a part of the 1996 championship team as a player.
And right now, 51-year-old is doing a lot to prepare for his inaugural campaign. Pope has brought in plenty of transferees to Kentucky, the latest of which was former BYU star Jaxon Robinson. From the coaching staff to the players, an entirely new-look team will be representing the school from Lexington. It'll definitely be interesting to see how far the Wildcats will go this coming season.
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