Jaxson Robinson Knew UK was Going to Hire Mark Pope

Jaxson Robinson, right, likes how free flowing Mark Pope's offense is. (UK Athletics Photo)

Maybe some were surprised when Mark Pope was named the head basketball coach at Kentucky but Jaxson Robinson was not one of them.

Robinson played the previous two seasons at BYU for Pope after spending his first two collegiate seasons at Texas A&M and Arkansas.

“To be honest with you, when I saw all the UK news (about John Calipari leaving) and the coaches turning down the job, I knew coach Pope was gonna get it,” Robinson said.  “It’s great seeing him here. I knew he wanted to be here.”

Robinson was the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year last season — he made 30 starts his first year at BYU — when he averaged 14.2 points while shooting 42.6 percent from the field, 35.4 from 3 and 90.8 at the foul line. He hit 81 3-pointers and had eight double-figure scoring games. He also had 25 points in a NCAA Tournament game against Duquesne.

Robinson put his name into the NBA Draft after Pope did take the Kentucky job but always knew he was destined to become a Wildcat.

“Once I had figured everything out on my side with the draft process, I knew where I was going to go if I came out (of the draft). Me and coach Pope go back a couple years and have a lot of great memories, so why not continue it and go for a title?” Robinson, a 6-6 guard, said.

Robinson, a four-star high school prospect who reclassified from the 2021 class to the 2020 signing class, has basketball genes. His mother, Brandi McWilliams, played basketball for Missouri State. His aunt, Crystal Robinson, played basketball for Louisiana Tech and serves as an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.

Yet it is Robinson’s off-court connection with Pope more than the on-court vibe that makes the UK guard like his coach so much.

“I think coach Pope builds great relationships with his players. Can’t tell you how many times I walked into coach Pope’s office not to talk about basketball, but he was just checking up on me and he was always telling me the truth,” Robinson said.

“You can ask for more than a coach to tell you the truth and let you know what you need to do to get better. I think coach Pope does that with every single one of his players and coaches. So I mean, he’s the best coach I’ve had.

“His offense, it’s free flowing. There’s a lot that you can do out of it, a lot of choices, a lot of decisions. It’s reactionary. It’s not necessarily set. So just being able to make decisions, make leads and play unselfishly with your teammates, it’s a great offense.”

No Kentucky player knows Pope’s offense and terminology better than Robinson and teammates praised his leadership in summer workouts.

“I just try to help out. The other guys and even the older guys, just trying to get used to this offense and also defense,” Robinson said.  “Just making sure I’m a good voice for everybody, and always trying to make sure I’m giving out the right information.”

Pope has suggested he might get information/coaching tips from his wife, Lee Anne, the daughter of former Utah men’s basketball coach Lynn Archibald. He calls her his No. 1 mentor. Robinson said he “honestly didn’t know” if Lee Anne Pope did that or not.

“Miss Lee Anne’s one of my favorites. She’s always been there by coach Pope’s side since I got to know coach Pope, so I wouldn’t deny that she could be giving him advice,” Robinson said.

The BYU transfer is not sure whether he’ll come off the bench this year or move into a starting role because he’s not discussed that with his coach.

“I just want to win. I want to win a championship. So whatever it is I have got to do, to do it, I’ll do it,” Robinson said. “Coach is the same person he was at BYU.  I think the guys love it, coaches love it. Just a great experience being around all these guys and these coaches and them getting to witness what coach Pope is about and the success that he’ll bring to this program.”