New Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope talks to the media during his introductory press conference at Rupp Arena on Sunday, April 14, 2024. A packed house turned out for Pope’s introduction in Lexington. BY JOHN CLAY| UK ATHLETICS
Mark Pope’s first Kentucky basketball team is full of new additions. Currently, 11 scholarship players have signed up to play for Pope and the Wildcats during the 2024-25 season. Each of them is new to UK, with eight arriving via the NCAA transfer portal and three as traditional first-year freshmen. But, Kentucky fans can find familiarity in two of the college basketball newcomers. Incoming guard Travis Perry is a Kentucky high school basketball legend:
He’s the all-time leading scorer in boys high school basketball history in the commonwealth (5,481 points) and is fresh off a Sweet 16 state tournament triumph with tiny Lyon County High School, located in the western Kentucky city of Eddyville.
Perry was recruited to Kentucky by former coach John Calipari and Perry committed to the Wildcats last November. His decision to stick with UK despite the Calipari-to-Pope coaching change makes him one of the few connective pieces between two distinct eras of UK basketball.
