Mark Pope snubbed: Why Kentucky’s coach deserved a Naismith watchlist spot

Kentucky basketball fans are scratching their heads—and maybe hollering a little—over Mark Pope’s absence from the 2025 Coach of the Year watchlist. The first-year Wildcats headman has steered his squad to an 18-8 record (7-6 SEC) and a No. 17 national ranking despite a roster battered by injuries. Meanwhile, 15 others—like Greg Gard, Tom Izzo, and Rick Pitino—made the cut. Pope turned a defense from a leaky 109th in KenPom to a stout 68th, kept Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament mix, and did it all while missing key players. So why’s he on the outside looking in? Let’s unpack this snub.

Pope’s Case: Grit Over Glitz

Pope inherited a Kentucky program fresh off John Calipari’s exit, with sky-high expectations and a roster that was non-existent, literally. He’s delivered. The Wildcats’ defense, a laughingstock at 109th in January, now sits at 68th, shaving points off opponents’ totals. Injuries to stars like Lamont Butler (12.5 PPG) and Andrew Carr (9.5 PPG) could’ve tanked lesser teams, but Pope’s kept the Cats clawing, leaning on young guns and a balanced attack (85.8 PPG, No. 3 nationally). An 18-8 record might not dazzle at Kentucky, but doing it shorthanded in the SEC is no small feat.

Contrast that with the watchlist’s 15: some are blue-blood legends, others mid-major miracles. Pope’s work straddles both—reviving a giant while dodging potholes.

How He Stacks Up

Greg Gard (Wisconsin): Gard’s a watchlist regular, likely riding another steady Badger season. Pope’s defensive turnaround (41 spots in KenPom) rivals any consistency Gard’s shown, especially with Kentucky’s higher stakes.
Pat Kelsey (Louisville): Kelsey’s turning Louisville around from the ashes—impressive. But Pope’s keeping Kentucky afloat amid injuries and a tougher SEC slate feels more so. They have not played a ranked team since Kentucky in December.
Dusty May (FAU): May’s FAU is a mid-major darling post-Final Four. Pope’s 18-8 at Kentucky, with a top-20 offense (56.7% eFG%, No. 12), matches that shine under a brighter spotlight.
Rick Pitino (St. John’s): Pitino’s a legend, and a St. John’s resurgence is splashy, deserves to be on the list.
Ben McCollum (SE Louisiana): McCollum’s a small-school star, likely upsetting bigger foes. Pope’s doing big-school work with small-school grit—why not both?

The watchlist loves turnarounds (Kelsey, Gates) and legends (Izzo, Painter). Pope’s hybrid story—steadying a titan through turbulence—slipped through the cracks. Kentucky’s lofty bar might’ve dulled his shine, but 18-8 with a patchwork roster screams Coach of the Year material (or at the very least on the watchlist).

What’s the Deal?

Maybe it’s the Kentucky curse: success is expected, not celebrated. Pope’s not chasing a Cinderella run like McCollum or flipping a dumpster fire like Kelsey—he’s polishing a crown jewel under pressure. The defensive leap from 109th to 68th, juggling injuries to Butler, Carr, Robinson, and Kerr Kriisa (17 games missed), and holding a 10.1-point scoring margin (No. 30) show his chops. Yet, the watchlist leaned toward flashier narratives or bigger brands. It’s a head-scratcher when you see Todd Golden or Penny Hardaway snag spots—Pope’s outcoaching plenty with less fanfare.

This snub isn’t just a slight—it’s fuel. Kentucky faces No. 4 Alabama Saturday, and a win could scream what the watchlist missed: Pope’s a force.