Scott Drew, head coach of the Baylor Bears, has lost his top assistant, Alvin Brooks III, to the Kentucky Wildcats. Brooks joins Mark Pope’s staff as associate head coach after eight seasons under Drew. Kentucky has now filled four of its five assistant coach positions with Brooks, Jason Hart, Cody Fueger, and Mark Fox. Former head coach Bill Armstrong is set to join Drew’s staff at Baylor, while five-star shooting guard VJ Edgecombe remains committed to the Bears despite Brooks’ departure.
The head coaching positions for the men’s and women’s college basketball programs at Kentucky and Tennessee recently came open, but several potential candidates apparently passed on the opportunities. Kentucky hired Mark Pope, who spent the past five seasons at BYU, while Tennessee hired Kim Caldwell, who had only one year of head-coaching experience at the Division I level. Both hires were met with surprise and skepticism, given the schools’ rich histories and large fan bases. However, both Pope and Caldwell have expressed confidence in their ability to succeed in their new roles.
After the departure of several players to the NBA Draft and transfer portal, Kentucky coach Mark Pope has been busy building his roster for the upcoming season. The Wildcats have landed Drexel star forward Amari Williams, a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year, and Collin Chandler, a member of the 2022 recruiting cycle who spent the last two years on a Mormon mission. With most of Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster either ineligible, in the transfer portal, or headed to the NBA Draft, Pope’s first order of business is to build a roster for next season.
Kobe Knox, a top-26 recruit who had previously decommitted from Kentucky, has recommitted to play for John Calipari at Arkansas. Knox, known for his aggressive scoring, is eager to join forces with Calipari and associate head coach Kenny Payne. His brother, Karter Knox, also played for Calipari at Kentucky and became the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.
