Kentucky’s Mark Pope Buyout Details Surface in Contract

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 13: Mark Pope the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Rupp Arena on November 13, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts against the Kansas Jayhawks during the first half in the 2026 State Farm Champions Classic at United Center on November 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Mark Pope and his Kentucky Wildcats were supposed to have a clear bounceback opportunity on their hands Friday night.

They had just lost by 20 points in the Champions Classic to Kansas, but that was one game. UK already had wins over Manhattan and James Madison to start the season, and with winless Northern Arizona coming to Rupp Arena, Kentucky was in good shape to get some positive vibes rolling again.

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Instead, Northern Arizona nearly pulled off the most shocking upset of the early stages of this college basketball season.

The final scoreboard read UK 78, NAU 77.

If the Wildcats had lost that game, calls for Pope’s job would’ve been immediate.

As is, plenty of fans are wondering what it would take if Kentucky decides to move on from a coach who hasn’t quite kept Kentucky up to its usual standard.

Mark Pope Contract Details

GettyLEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 13: Mark Pope the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Rupp Arena on November 13, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Pope originally left BYU in April 2024, with Kentucky paying a $6 million buyout to the Cougars to get Pope.

The original contract for Pope at Kentucky began at five years and $27.5 million in total value — beginning at $5 million per year, rising $250,000 each year and culminating in $6 million for 2028-29.

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His Sweet 16 appearance in his first season triggered a…

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Publish date : 2026-11-14 16:41:00

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