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While some fans had higher hopes for Kentucky, finishing in the Sweet 16 in the first year with a new coach (not to mention injuries) is a positive sign.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A year ago, John Calipari shockingly left to take the job at Arkansas, and Kentucky wasted no time in hiring BYU’s Mark Pope as his replacement.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first year with Pope went well, and he was welcomed by fans warmly, especially since he played at Kentucky during his college days.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n After a Sweet 16 loss, Pope even received some big contract news: He earned a one-year extension, per Jon Rothstein.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Kentucky’s Mark Pope received an automatic one-year contract extension after the Wildcats made the Sweet 16, according to a team official. Pope’s contract now runs through the 2029-30 season, with a $250,000 salary increase set for the final year of the deal,” Rothstein wrote on X.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Initially, Kentucky signed Pope to a five-year deal that pays him $5.5 million per season, as Matt Norlander reported.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The 51-year-old was a member of the 1995-96 championship team at Kentucky, and his hiring was a quick one after Calipari’s departure.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n After just one year, Pope gets an extension and a slight payraise in the final year of his deal, and more bonuses could be in store if Kentucky keeps trending in the right direction<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"