When Mark Pope announced that he would be taking questions directly from BBN, we all knew things could get interesting. But honestly, it turned out pretty good; you had some honest questions and some good answers. Sure, there were sarcastic questions that just were never going to be answered, but Pope did address the GM situation. While it wasn’t the answer a lot of people hoped for, at least there is now a clear hierarchy within the basketball front office. Let’s break it down.
Kentucky
Mark Pope says Kentucky's story is still being written — with good and bad chapters to come
There hasn’t been much to complain about since Mark Pope took over at Kentucky back in April. He’s been a PR gold mine since day one while stacking up roster, staff and recruiting wins in the months since, then picked up statement on-court victories vs. Duke, Gonzaga and Louisville in the non-conference schedule before the turn of the new year. If you were to give him a grade on his early coaching report card, anything besides a big ‘A’ would be crazy.
The Clemson loss was his first misstep, but you could find positives there, specifically with the team’s second-half run to even the rebounding battle — and nearly the game overall, the Wildcats cutting it to two in the final seconds. Then came the real black eye: Kentucky folding like a lawn chair in New York City, falling to Ohio State by 20 points in a game the Buckeyes controlled from what felt like the opening tip.
Pope said it was a performance that would force him to ‘lose a lot of sleep’ in the coming days, promising to ‘find answers’ and ‘learn how to function at a better level when were under this particular type of duress.’ How is he feeling about his group after returning to Lexington ahead of the holidays after some time off?
He’s excited, but frustrated. Or is he frustrated, but excited? Either way, those are the emotions he’s feeling after laying an egg in the Big Apple.
“I’m really excited. What a bad night, just devastating. It was just the worst, the worst ever,” he said during his call-in radio show. “To do it in that venue wearing this jersey, it’s devastating. … There’s nothing you can do with it but help dig in and help it make you better, right? And in long conversations with our guys and our staff and digging into the numbers, the nuts and bolts, it’s also exciting to grow and get better, and to move forward.”
When you stumble in that fashion, an opportunity to regroup presents itself, learning from mistakes in a way you wouldn’t have felt without getting punched in the mouth. Even the best teams hit those walls over the course of a great season.
He hopes that’s the case with this one.
“There are always moments where there are just galvanizing moments, right? The championship teams have those moments, for sure, whether they show up in practice or in a game, or wherever they show up because you overcame something exceptional in a moment — or you failed to do it,” Pope said. “There’s just a series of galvanizing moments, and what championship teams do is whatever they have as they go along, the story is still being written, right? That’s what you do throughout the course of the season.”
It’s their season loss on the year, and almost certainly won’t be their last. It’s an all-time SEC schedule ahead with as many as 13 teams on pace to make the NCAA Tournament. The league is going to eat itself alive going into postseason play.
How will the Wildcats respond? That’s all that matters right now — and down the road when those moments come.
“You keep writing and keep writing and keep writing,” he said. “This won’t be our last difficult moment that we have this season, for sure. The question is where does it take us.”
COVINGTON, Ky. (WKRC) – A Northern Kentucky man is in jail, accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl who’d been reported missing.
Matthew Wade, 40, faces charges, including sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor and assault.
Covington Police say they found the teen at Wade’s home on Highway Avenue on Monday. According to the police report, he was knowingly hiding her, knew she was missing and had cut her ankle monitor off.
Investigators say the teen was given alcohol, marijuana and magic mushrooms.
The girl told police wade slapped her and choked her.
Officers also say they found guns in the home.
Mark Pope has confirmed that no official GM position will exist for at least this season, and most likely won’t exist going forward. Why? Because he has the responsibilities spread out across 4 different people, and believes that is the best way forward.
“In this ever-changing college basketball dynamic, everybody is trying a different solution. For us, instead of hiring a singular GM, we’ve gone with a more comprehensive general management team approach. We have four members of the team. Keegan Brown is a data analysis and roster construction expert who’s worked in both college and the NBA. Nick Robinson is our salary cap strategy and management specialist. Kevin Sergent is our compliance officer, and he deals with all of our contracts and legal language. Kim Shelton is our JMI liaison, and she does all of our NIL contracts that deal with corporate sponsorships. That’s our four-person general management team.”
But who is each one of these people, and what makes them qualified?
Who’s doing what in the Kentucky basketball front office?
Well, Keegan Brown has been a video coordinator in the G-League. That essentially means he would go and watch all the videos on league opponents and potential prospects, and come up with data-backed scouting reports for the coaching and front office teams. Pope has worked with Brown at BYU, so there is some familiarity there.
Nick Robinson also worked with Mark Pope in Provo, being an assistant coach from 2019 to 2024 and following Pope to Lexington. He has been on staff all 3 seasons now, and is being tasked with handing out Kentucky’s money and setting a budget for each player.
Kevin Sergent is not new to Kentucky; he has been in Lexington since 2020. But this is his first time handling compliance on his own; his official title is Senior Associate AD for Athletic Compliance. He handles all the rules, applying for waivers, basically making sure the entire staff is doing everything the right way.
Kim Shelton is a UK alum who was more known for soccer than anything else. She was part of the very first Kentucky women’s soccer team and is a former CEO of Lexington Sporting Club. She worked for Kentucky when Commonwealth was renamed as Kroger Field, and played a role in setting up naming rights for Kentucky Proud Park. Right now, she is kind of the bridge between Kentucky and JMI, specifically handling BBNIL Suite.
If you don’t remember what BBNIL suite is, it’s essentially the opt-in program where student athletes agree to only work with deals through JMI. They find offers, broker deals, and help athletes make money. It is, of course, optional, but if players decline, they will not be able to use the University of Kentucky logos in their NIL marketing.
Trent Noah is probably the most successful NIL athlete who opted out. The Kentucky native is handling his own NIL, and by the amount of ads and cardboard cutouts I see littered around the state, he seems to be doing pretty well.
Seeing JMI integrated again into Kentucky Basketball is probably going to make some of you uneasy, and I get that. But everyone who has worked with them who has officially gone on the record says they are a pleasure to work with.
And that’s how Mark Pope wants it done. There is a theory out there that he wants a GM, but JMI won’t let him. Considering he has chosen 2 of the 4 people personally, I highly doubt that’s true.
What do you think of his explanation, and what do you think of how he is handling the GM role?
Leave the ordinary behind as you explore the Bluegrass State
Explore all of the unexpected adventures that Kentucky has to offer. (Photo: Kentucky Tourism)
Published May 12, 2026 04:28PM
When it comes to outdoor destinations, Kentucky’s got some impressive headliners, like Mammoth Cave National Park, home to the world’s longest (known) cave system, and Red River Gorge, a climbing mecca with more than 4,000 sport routes. But away from the more popular paths, you’ll find outdoor adventures that are defined not only by their incredible scenery but also by their one-of-a-kind experiences.
See a Moonbow
If you’ve never seen a moonbow (a rainbow caused by the light of a full moon), there’s only one place in the Western Hemisphere where you can make a plan to see one—Cumberland Falls. Known as the “Niagara of the South,” this 125-foot-tall cascade is home to one of the only predictable moonbows on the planet. Take a look at the schedule, grab your headlamps for the short hike, and go see this rare natural marvel.
More in Daniel Boone National Forest: Visit the nearby Natural Scenic Arch Area, where a short trail reveals stunning views of a sandstone arch spanning nearly 100 feet.
Stay in a Treehouse
The treehouses at EarthJOY Village in northern Kentucky are the real deal, with features every outdoor-loving kid (and adult) has dreamed of—porch views, rope bridges, and a tree trunk right in the middle of the living room. With three impressive treehouses to choose from, more than 285 acres of private forest, and 20 miles of hiking trails, you’ll always find adventures to unlock.
More Camping: Camp closer to the ground—and the wildlife that populates the region—at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area or John James Audubon State Park.
Go Underground
Some of the most “outdoor” experiences you’ll find in Kentucky are technically inside the many caves and caverns that the state has become known for. There are plenty to explore. Our picks? Hidden River Cave, home to the world’s longest underground swinging bridge, or Lost River Cave, where you can take a boat ride through the otherworldly below-ground landscape.
More Fun in the Depths: Did you know you can scuba dive in Kentucky? You can try it out or get PADI certified at Pennyroyal Scuba Blue Springs Resort before heading to popular destinations like Lake Cumberland.
Take a Canopy Walk at an Outdoor Art Gallery
The short but scenic Canopy Tree Walk at Bernheim Forest and Arboretum allows you to take in the views from the forest’s highest heights—75 feet above the ground. There are even more spectacular sights in this 16,000-plus-acre stretch of wild forest, like the Forest Giants, designed by sculptor Thomas Dambo, or any number of other outdoor art installations along the 40 miles of trails.
More Hiking: Explore the 343-mile Sheltowee Trace Trail, founded in the 1970s as Kentucky’s first long-distance footpath that basecamps in trail towns like Morehead. And even urban hubs like Lexington offer green escapes like the Raven Run Nature Sanctuary.
Kentucky is about coming together for real-life experiences and meeting real-life people. Discover a destination that moves you in ways you never expected. Find What Moves You in our new Kentucky home.
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