Pope Plans for Players to Stay in Touch with Rupp Arena Fans After Games

Collin Chandler greets UK fans after the exhibition win over Minnesota State. (Vicky Graff Photo)

For years I have wondered why Kentucky basketball coaches did not find a way for players to interact with fans more at Rupp Arena.

Remember Oscar Tshiebwe a few years ago coming back on the court to sign autographs and take photos with fans … and sometimes staying even when UK officials tried to get him to stop.

New Kentucky coach Mark Pope allowed his players to interact with fans in the lower arena near the court after both exhibition games.

I asked him at Thursday’s press conference if that interaction was his idea and if he planned for it to continue and it was no surprise he indicated it was “really important” at Kentucky to do something like that. He said he knew media members were already “tired” of  him talking about this being Kentucky’s team and not his team but that is what he will keep doing.

“This is Kentucky’s team, right? We’re blessed. We had more fans show up to games than any team in the country last year, so we’re in this together,” Pope said. “It’s one of the things that makes BBN special. Every touchpoint we can have to keep us together and bring us together is really important.”

Pope didn’t hold back with the rest of his explanation.

“Here’s the truth, when things go great, we’re gonna run in the locker room and we’re gonna celebrate the same way that everybody leaving this arena and celebrating everybody at home that didn’t make it into Rupp  is celebrating their living room, right?” Pope said

“And you know, if it ever happens that things don’t go well, we’re going to be in the locker room, anguishing and suffering, just like every single person walking out of Rupp, and everybody at home is going to be suffering. It’s one of the things that makes BBN special.”