John Wall gets brutally honest on Mark Pope’s first season with Kentucky

For years, John Calipari was in charge of taking the Kentucky Wildcats all the way. He had nothing but the finest recruits, several of whom ended up being high lottery picks.

That’s why some people were so worried about the future of the program once he left to join the Arkansas Razorbacks, thinking they would lose their magic and recruiting pedigree.

However, as much as things are tough in transition years, Mark Pope did a solid job in his first year in charge. That’s why former NBA star John Wall, one of Calipari’s top recruits, had to give him his flowers.

John Wall gives Mark Pope his stamp of approval

“I’m happy for Mark Pope. I got an opportunity to meet him this past summer, or last summer, in Indiana when it was an EYBL tournament going on. Talked to him for a little bit. He got off to a hot start, I think a couple of injuries kind of slowed their team down. But for your first year to go that far that’s great. They got a lot of great pieces coming in this year with some good pieces coming back,” Wall told Matt Jones of KSR.

Mark Pope the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats

Of course, Pope will have some big shoes to fill, and it will be easier said than done, but he knew that when he took the job, so that shouldn’t come as a surprise.

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Even so, while the team didn’t go the distance this season, he did a great job with the hand he was given, and there are reasons to have some faith about this program in the future.