As we're in the very early days of the Mark Pope era, we're still trying to figure out what the roster and the coaching staff is going to be. As each day goes by we get more word on which players are interested in coming to Kentucky, which players Mark Pope is interested in offering, and what coaching names are being reported to be the first additions to the staff for next year.
So far we’ve had Cody Fueger and Jason Hart, with this morning the addition coming in for Alvin Brooks III as well. This afternoon, the name that’s been floated around the longest has became official. Mark Fox, who gave Mark Pope his first coaching gig in 2009, has been hired onto the Kentucky staff.
“This opportunity is extra special because, not only do I get to work at one of the most traditional basketball powers in the country, but I also get to work with a former player and a former staff member who is like family to me,” Fox said.
After the news became public, Mark Pope was eager to comment on it.
“I can’t believe that I get to work with Mark Fox,” UK head coach Mark Pope said. “Our relationship began at the University of Washington when I was a freshman and ever since then he has been an incredible mentor to me over the years. He even hired me for my first job.
“He is one of the most intelligent and most detailed-oriented coaches in all of college basketball. Mark has coached NBA draft picks. He’s coached teams in the NCAA Tournament. He’s recruited the best players in the country, and he’s dealt with every changing dynamic in college basketball over the last 25 years. Coach Fox is going to be a lynchpin in all that we do at the University of Kentucky. I’m glad to welcome Cindy and their family to Big Blue Nation.”
Time to welcome Mark Leslie Fox to the show. Not sure why I included the Leslie in there, but I felt like you needed to know it. Today he was hired as the Associate Coach on the men's basketball staff, making progress towards what's to come as a whole.
You might not know the name off the bat, but you might remember the face. The Wildcats used to go head-to-head with him twice a year from 2009-18 as he was the head coach at the University of Georgia. He was the main guy there before he would leave for the California coaching job in 2018, which Tom Crean then would step into his role at Georgia. Fox earned a record of 163–133 (.551) with the Bulldogs.
From 2019-23, Fox would coach the Golden Bears of California Berkley where he would amass the third-worst coaching record in program history at 38–87 (.304), being let go from his duties and entering his next role of this previous season, as the Director of Student-Athlete Relations at Georgetown University.
Overall as a head coach Mark Fox compiled a coaching record of 324–263 (.552) (Nevada, Georgia, California), never making it past the second round of the NCAA Tournament in eighteen years. Thankfully, he isn't being hired to be the coach, he's being placed in an associate role.
Taking a trip back in time, Mark Pope wouldn't be Kentucky's head coach today if it wasn't for Mark Fox. When Mark Pope quit medical school with the goal of making his way on a basketball staff somewhere, Fox would give him his first opportunity as the Director of Basketball Operations. I see this as a thank you from Pope for helping him get his start and also it won't take away from one of the three recruiting positions either. Fox ran programs for decades and he'll likely be a operations guy who understands the wants and needs of the head coach.