Kentucky hires Mark Pope: BYU coach, player on Wildcats’ 1995-96 national title team succeeds John Calipari [Video]

Kentucky has hired BYU’s Mark Pope to become its next men’s basketball coach, the school announced Friday. Pope and Kentucky quickly engaged on Thursday in the hours after Baylor’s Scott Drew and UConn’s Dan Hurley both turned down Kentucky’s overtures. CBS Sports first reported the news.

Pope has signed five-year deal at an average of $5.5 million per season, before incentives, sources said. Pope replaces John Calipari, who on Tuesday officially left for Arkansas after 15 years in Lexington.

The pick was not the obvious or expected one on account of Kentucky’s historical standing in the sport. With Calipari leaving town, most anticipated the program to bring in a high-profile replacement with a résumé of NCAA Tournament success.

Pope is a Kentucky alumnus, however. He played for (and was a captain on) the famed 1995-96 championship team and has long coveted an opportunity to one day return …