Mark Pope wants his players to think daily about winning a national championship. (UK Athletics Photo)
New Kentucky coach Mark Pope is all about winning national championships. He wants the Wildcats to develop the same mentality.
That’s why Pope designated last week’s training camp as “Banner Week” and wanted to instill into his squad the mission for the upcoming season. It was the third phase in a series of camps for Pope and the Wildcats, which included eight weeks of camp during the summer, a four-week session last month followed by “Banner Camp.”
“Our ultimate goal is to hang a banner — that’s our ultimate goal,” he said Wednesday. “Our focus every day is to get better. I like calling it ‘Banner Camp ‘because I like No. 9 being ever-present. I like banners being ever-present and somewhere floating around in our minds while we’re working hard to be focused on today.”
The Banner Camp, Pope said, is strictly “for us here” and “it’s our focus.”
“It’s very important to differentiate,” he said. “Our focus every day is to get better. Sometimes you can look so far off into the horizon that you aren’t super functional today. The only way to get to where you’re trying to go on the horizon is to have unbelievable work every day. I like this idea of (it) being totally in our consciousness of our goal.”
The first-year Kentucky coach added that he’s been impressed with his team’s ability to stay in the moment.
“It’s about the process,” he said. “One thing we can control is the progress we make today and our guys have been good at that so far. They’ve really been dialed into (each) day really well.”
The camp, a prelude to the start of practice, also gave Pope and his staff more insights into the team, a process that involved bonding on and off the court.
“What I’m most excited about is from Day 1, my guys continue to get better,” he said. “I have so many guys that have made incredible strides. Otega Oweh has made so much progress with his motor and his intentionality like, it’s awesome. Amari Williams has got so much more confidence, so much more physical, like every single day.”
Pope also has been impressed with the freshmen trio comprised of Travis Perry, Trent Noah and Collin Chandler. He said all three players “came in very humble, very excited, and super curious, which is a winning character trait.
“The guys that are insatiably curious are the guys that get better,” Pope said. “They just want to learn and grow and they just can’t get enough (and they are) like sponges and all three of those guys feel like that.”
The Kentucky coach added that the transformation has been rewarding to watch this summer.
“Those guys came in day one and felt like their heads were spinning and they were all over the map,” Pope said. “And (now) they’re functional basketball players already right now. It’s been really fun to watch guys grow. With a team that is as veteran as our team is, for guys still to be able to grow at this rate is exciting.
“That’s probably the thing I’ve learned most about the team is that we’re not even close to our ceiling. We can get better every day and these guys are doing it.”
13 Responses
The true sign of a GREAT Uk COACH…
Instill WINNING A BANNER in their minds.
FOCUS on the MOMENT – TODAY
PROCESS & PROGRESS….
Improvement daily; the mindset to WIN WIN
Pitino used to ask recruits what their goal was for wanting to go go UK…
He wanted to hear
WIN a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The starters Butler Brea Robinson Carr and Williams? I don’t see how Brea starts over Oweh. If Oweh would have played for Dayton he would have averaged about 16-17 ppg. I don’t understand Brea. He’s one of the best shooters we’ve ever had at Kentucky but he only averaged 10.8 log at Dayton shooting damn near 50%?.! That doesn’t make sense. Maybe the coach there was a idiot. Only 10 ppg shooting 50% a clip from 3???? On a mid major team??? When I watched his hilights I was scratching my head saying how does he only average 10 ppg. Then I watched a couple of daytons games and it hit me. It wad very hard for him to create shots. If it was hard for him to create shots at Dayton what do you think he’s going to do in the SEC the best defensive league? I just am not sold on Brea. I think he should come off the bench when the defense is tired so he cam create shots better. I think we play everyone on this team so no-one will average slot of points Carr will probably lead us in scoring at around 15-16 ppg. We should have at least 4-5 kids in double figures. This might be the best shooting and defensive team we’ve seen in a long time. This team isn’t crazy athletic. What they lack in athleticism they make up for in heart. This team will be able to play with anyone. I think we make a great tournament run. For most of the team this is there last year so its now or never.
I did not see anywhere that Pope named the starters.
He mentioned 2 upper class players – Oweh & Williams.
He mentioned 3 freshmen – Chandler, Perry & Noah.
I don’t think these 5 were mentioned because they will start. However, these 5 will probably do a great job if they play together in some games.
Pope may not announce the starters to the public before the 1st tip-off.
I look for a very deep bench to play decent minutes in the exhibitions & then the starters chosen for the first real game will be those who showed the most in those games.
But only Pope knows. Even with my connections, I don’t have a clue who he is considering to start.
I think Williams will start at the 5 spot, Carr at the 4 spot, Robinson at the 3, Perry at the 2, and Butler at the point. I think Pope will sub early and often to keep fresh legs on the floor. The starting lineup is subject to change more than once. I will venture to say that nobody will play more than 25 minutes and nobody will play less than 10 and the allocation of those minutes will change from game to game. If everyone is willing to sacrifice for the good of all and truly commit to winning No. 9, I think this season will be just what the doctor ordered for BBN.
Absolutely 👍
I agree with your 100% on everything except I don’t know enough about the 2 starters other than Jaxson, Carr & Perry! I’m definitely in agreement to start these 2 & therefore give you the benefit of the doubt about the other 2 & will agree on them too.
The 25 min tops & 10 min minimum with varying starting lineups & varying PT is exactly the way I anticipate the season. So many players with experience can insure fresh legs & also the players who are hot get more PT in that particular game.
Ole king swaggy was predictable and I could almost predict the 5 before the season started.
But thank God and Arkansas he’s gone.
I think Butler, Williams and Carr will be 3 of the 5.
👍
I don’t know the starting 5 but I predict that Travis Perry will break Tony Delks 3 pointers made record.
I predict this year will be more fun and less stressful/aggravating than the last 4 seasons.
Absolutely true!!
Best “feel good “ start for any UK Coach ever. I think he’ll back up the verve.
Sure exciting to have a real UK coach who is FOR UK!
Excitement recovered after the fraud left to join the hogs.
Mark Pope has assembled an outstanding staff. He has without a doubt recruited the best 1-12 lineup in the country. Will these kids buy into winning a national title above all else or will they start thinking about the NBA? If the former is the case, I can see this team winning it all. If the latter prevails, they will be just another double digit loss team like the FRAUD used to deliver. Can Pope coach 12 strangers into wanting to achieve glory for UK instead of seeking personal accolades? They will get an early test with Duke. I’m not so sure that winning or losing that game will matter much in the bigger picture. Where their hearts and minds are at tourney time will determine if No. 9 is coming home to Lexington in April.
This Dandy Dozen will Hang #9.
Getting to the FF is a giant leap and then it’s almost anyone’s Title. Pope has been yearning to get to UK for years and now he is going to give it his all, including firing up players to play to WIN FOR UK each and EVERY game.
12 = #9