Andrew, left, and Aaron Harrison are both huge Mark Pope fans. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Mark Pope was just getting started as Kentucky’s basketball coach last summer when LaFamilia, UK’s alumni team, played in The Basketball Tournament.
Pope embraced the former UK players like they were his own and didn’t flinch about having players recruited by John Calipari at the UK facility with his players. That made a big impression on twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison, two of the highest profile players recruited by Calipari who were on the 2014 and 2015 Final Four teams.
Both Harrisons are back to play in the TBT again in pursuit of the $1 million purse that goes to the winning team and they remember Pope’s kindness from last year.
“It was really exciting to me because coming in, meeting coach Pope, you can tell he’s a genuine guy. You can tell he really loves Kentucky, loves basketball — and I’m the same way. It’s really refreshing being around someone like that,” Aaron Harrison said during a Zoom call Friday.
“I think players really pull to him because you can just tell he really, really cares. I’m doing the same (following the team) this year, for sure.”
His brother, Andrew, felt just as strong about rooting for Pope and his team last year and in the future.
“Definitely a guy who bleeds blue and loves his job, loves what he does, loves being at Kentucky. A guy like that, you can’t help but root for him as he continues to find success at the program,” Andrew Harrison said Friday. “I know he’s enjoying it, so hopefully we all just keep supporting them as they get better every year.”
Andrew Harrison averaged 11.6 points per game in TBT play last year and hit the game-winning 3-pointer against The Ville (Louisville Alumni) during the Elam Ending in the quarterfinals. Aaron Harrison averaged 7.0 points per game and knocked down three or more 3-pointers in multiple games during the 2024 TBT.
Both Harrisons watched Pope’s Cats play a lot last season because they knew the players after practicing with and against them last summer when Pope assembled his first team.
“That was probably the most I’ve watched Kentucky basketball in a while, just because I was around them and I got to meet them last year. I was a lot more interested to see their development and see how their season went more so than if I had never met the guys,” Aaron Harrison said. “I was super excited, super happy cheering them on.”
The Harrisons both played in the NBA before extending their careers playing overseas. Andrew said that made it a bit harder to stay connected with the Cats.
“Being able to meet the guys that were on the team and being greeted by coach Pope as soon as we walked in the building, it was a good feeling,” Andrew Harrison said Friday.
6 Responses
Andrew Harrison and The FRAUD cost us No. 9 because both were more concerned about the twins going to the NBA than they were about winning a championship for Kentucky.
Barry, you got to remember the no call shot clock that wasn’t made at the last minute wasn’t call. That made a difference as well . The Harrison boys did give us a highlights the year before
Dumbass don’t know ball, the twins defense was the differenceand the ability to drive downhill is what made the offense run, ulis and booker were great but defensively couldn’t guard a post and weren’t ready to fully run the offense
Precisely correct !!!
It was a crime for a mega-million dollar fraud to literally give away a Title instead of doing what he is paid to do. A sound-minded jury would have fined him millions of dollars and an honest ncaa would have suspended him for at least a year. But the UK AD didn’t even say boo.
Pitino, Coach K & other elite coaches would have waltzed through the FF with the deep talent level UK had & already at 38-0.
Cats79 gets terribly upset if you say anything critical about Kentucky no matter how true it is.
You nailed it.