Kentucky
Mark Pope tells story from his playing days to illustrate his vision for Kentucky
If there’s one thing Mark Pope would like to see out of his team at Kentucky, it would have to be effort. The newly hired coach knows from his time playing in Lexington that it takes hard work to win championships, which he helped the Wildcats achieve in 1996.
Pope arrived on campus as a transfer from Washington in 1993-94 and made his Kentucky debut during the 1994-95 season. He recalled feeling a desire to prove himself among the other high-caliber players on the roster and arrived determined to do just that.
But when Pope decided he would make a late-night gym trip to put in extra work and get ahead, he found he wasn’t alone. That’s the moment he learned how important work ethic was across the entire team, and it’s something he hopes to instill in his players.
“You’re gonna hear from me every day relentless 24/7 work and I learned that here,” he said. “I was here for maybe two weeks and I had transferred in and I couldn’t believe I was at the University of Kentucky. I’m like, ‘They’ve got all All-Americans. I’ve gotta catch up.’ It’s 11:30 at night and I’m in the Wildcat lodge like, ‘I gotta go get some extra work in while all the other guys are resting and sleeping.’
“So I walk across the street to Memorial Coliseum and open up the door and I hear balls bouncing. I walk in there and it was like five guys. It was JP, Shep, DA and TD in there in a full sweat already. Those guys taught me how to work.”
Those lessons paid off as Mark Pope averaged 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks across his two-year career with Kentucky. He clearly proved himself among the All-Americans and earned a sizable role to average around 20 minutes per game.
Pope would go on to play for six seasons in the NBA before getting into coaching. He climbed his way up the ladder to earn his first head coaching job at Utah Valley in 2015 and later took over at BYU in 2019.
He’s carried those lessons learned in Lexington with him wherever he’s gone, and now it eventually led him back to where it all began. As he looks to guide Kentucky back to the success it enjoyed during his time there, he also wants his players to understand what it means to wear Wildcat blue.
“I learned about resilience here,” Pope said. “Here at Kentucky, resilience is a requirement. I learned here that passion wins championships. Sometimes when you’re on the court competing with all the passion you can, your insides end up all over the floor. I learned that from my guys. I learned about gratitude here at Kentucky. Entitlement leads to sorrow and depression and gratitude leads to joy.
“What all these players know and all of our future players are going to learn really quick is that they are not doing those jerseys a favor by letting the jerseys clothe them. Our guys will know quickly that it will be one of the great honors of their life to put that jersey on.”
Kentucky
Kentucky Lottery Cash Ball, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for June 25, 2026
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
Kentucky
Takeaways from Kentucky’s home and away SEC schedule for next season
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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Kentucky
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky? See laws ahead of Fourth of July
Fourth of July festivities to celebrate in Louisville
See the Fourth of July festivities planned in Louisville for America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Fourth of July is almost here, and Kentuckians are getting ready to light up the sky.
Before you plan your fireworks celebrations, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed under Kentucky law. Here’s what to know about fireworks laws and safety tips in the Bluegrass State ahead of Independence Day.
Can you set off fireworks in Kentucky?
Yes. As long as you live in a place where local ordinances don’t prohibit it, according to the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s website.
Are fireworks legal in Louisville?
In Louisville or Jefferson County, larger display fireworks are not legal due to a local law. Some consumer products that don’t leave the ground, such as sparklers, are allowed.
If the cautionary label on the firework has the words “explosive,” “emits flaming pellets,” “flaming balls,” “firecracker,” “report” or “rocket,” it is automatically a no-go, according to the Louisville-Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.
But, smaller ones like sparklers, cylindrical or cone fountains, wheels and ground spinners are legal. Still, don’t let the size fool you − they can burn up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Learn more: Check out these 4th of July events taking place across Kentucky
How to use fireworks safely
The state fire marshal suggests following the following advice when using fireworks:
- Use fireworks outdoors.
- Obey local laws.
- Keep a bucket of water or a working water hose nearby.
- Use fireworks as intended and avoid altering them or combining them.
- Never relight “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Spectators should keep a safe distance from the person lighting the firework (the individual lighting it should wear safety glasses).
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated adult operator.”
- Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives.
- Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Former Courier Journal reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
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