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Kentucky basketball’s Mark Pope boost coaching staff with ex-Baylor assistant

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Nick Meyer | Last updated 4/24/24

The Kentucky basketball team has announced its latest hire to Coach Mark Pope’s staff and it’s Alvin Brooks III, who hails from Baylor University where has been an assistant to national title winning coach Scott Drew for the last eight years.

Brooks III will be added in hopes of taking Kentucky back to the promised land in the SEC, with visions of a national championship firmly in sight. The news came amid Pope’s landing of a key transfer portal player, an addition with at least one major catch. Former five-star Kentucky basketball recruit DJ Wagner is on his way out of Lexington with destination still to be determined.

On Wednesday, journalist Matt Norlander revealed the news on his Twitter account of UK basketball’s latest big hire.

Kentucky Basketball Hires Baylor Coach

Norlander spelled it all out in plain English as the announcement of Brooks III was revealed. Brooks III’s addition is considered to be a major coup for Coach Mark Pope’s team according to Norlander.

NEWS: Top Baylor assistant Alvin Brooks III is leaving the Bears to join Mark Pope's staff at Kentucky, sources tell @CBSSports. He spent the past eight years under Scott Drew and will be associate HC @ UK. Brooks is highly respected in the profession. It's a major coup for Pope.

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 24, 2024

Last season, the Bears went 24-11 overall, a record good for third place among men’s Division-I NCAA basketball teams in the Big 12 Conference.

Pope and Brooks III’s task will be to revive and revitalize a Kentucky basketball program that was upset in the first round by March Madness sensation Jack Gohlke and the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. Brooks III will serve as Associate Head Coach for Brooks’ Wildcats team.

Kentucky Loses Shepherd to NBA Draft

Kentucky basketball lost guard Reed Shepherd to the NBA Draft this past Thursday as the Wildcats star decided to try his hand at the next level. Shepherd is projected to be a top ten pick in this year’s draft although he only scored 12.5 points per game last season.

Shepherd’s deadeye three-point shooting and all-around game will be missed, and his expected absence will leave a big hole for Coach Pope and the Wildcats to fill going forward. The exit of former Kentucky Coach John Calipari and the current situation involving the Wildcats’ team has fans wondering exactly how the Wildcats’ roster will take shape this coming season.

Brooks III could be an integral part in the portal and high school prospect recruiting process, suggesting that Coach Pope and the new coach Brooks III may have more than a few tricks up their sleeves this offseason in an effort to field a championship team, even without Reed Shepherd.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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