Home » How Mark Pope plans to recruit elite high school basketball talent at Kentucky – The Athletic

How Mark Pope plans to recruit elite high school basketball talent at Kentucky – The Athletic

How Mark Pope plans to recruit elite high school basketball talent at Kentucky – The Athletic  The New York Times

WESTFIELD,Ind.—MarkPopelookedlikeanewstudentatschoolwhowaseagertoimpressboththecoolkidsandtheteacher.Heworeallthebigbrandnames:blueKentuckyquarter-zip,whiteNikekicksandablackLouisVuittonbackpack,inwhichheconcealedthenerdierstuff.Hecertainlydidhishomework.Afterslidingintoacourtsideseatatlastweekend’sNikeEYBLrecruitingevent,Popepulledouthisgiantblackbinderstuffedfulloflistsandchartsandschedulesandnotes.Inside,hehadanalyticsreportsonallthehighschoolplayersheplannedtowatchovertheweekend,theNCAA’sfirstliveevaluationperiodsincePopetookoverasheadcoachofhisalmamater. Thiswasanimportantcheckpoint. Itdidn’ttakelongforPopetodemonstratehismasteryofthetransferportal,fromwhichhelandedeightplayersinhisfirstmonthonthejob.Andhe’snotdonethere,ascovetedNorthFloridatransferguardChazLaniertookanofficialvisittoLexingtononMonday.Whatremainstobeseen,however,ishowPopewillfareinrecruitingelite