The final spot on Kentucky’s coaching staff still hasn’t been filled, but a familiar face is starting to look like the leading internal option.
For much of the offseason, Jamal Crawford has been the name Kentucky fans have circled. Now, another possibility is gaining traction: Nick Robinson. On Thursday’s edition of KSR, Ryan Lemond pointed to Robinson as someone to watch for the open assistant coach job.
“Nick Robinson will more likely get promoted to that open coaching spot,” Lemond said.
Robinson is already in the program, serving as Kentucky’s director of men’s basketball operations. He followed Mark Pope to Lexington from BYU and has remained in that same role since arriving. Pope said earlier this offseason that Robinson had been moved into the Wildcats front office, but there’s still a chance that move could be a stepping stone to the bench.
If that promotion happens, Robinson would join Mikhail McLean, Mo Williams, Cody Fuger, and Mark Fox on Kentucky’s coaching staff.
Pope, though, doesn’t sound like someone in a hurry to force the issue. In a recent interview with Maggie Davis, he said the staff is in a good place as it is.
“I like my organization a lot right now. They’re functioning at a high-level.
I like the way our staff feels. I like the way we feel in staff meetings.
I like how we’re executing on the road. I like how we feel on the court right now.
I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces, although I’m open to the idea,” Pope told Davis.
In Other News...
Mark Popes Staff Vacancy Just Became A Bigger Kentucky Story
Kentucky still has an open assistant coaching spot after the offseason departures, but Mark Pope is not treating it like an urgent hole to plug. He said he is comfortable with how the current staff is operating and sees no need to rush the decision, which gives the Wildcats some breathing room as they move through the offseason.
The timing may be more complicated than it first appeared, though, because Pope also pointed to the legal uncertainty around new NCAA guidelines, especially those tied to international recruiting. If those rules keep getting challenged, the eventual hire could be shaped as much by the changing landscape as by Kentuckys immediate basketball needs, which is why this vacancy may linger a while longer. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Pope Just Sparked The Trent Noah Debate BBN Knows Well
Trent Noah did not arrive in Lexington with much fanfare, but the conversation around him is getting louder as summer work rolls on. Last seasons numbers were modest, and Kentuckys crowded mix of wings and forwards has made every minute on the floor feel earned, yet Mark Pope has clearly noticed enough to keep Noah in the discussion as the roster takes shape.
Pope has also hinted at a tweak that could matter for Noahs outlook, shifting him toward more of a shooting guard look to better tap into what he does best. In a program where several players are battling for the same perimeter and frontcourt reps, and where practice shooting has been strong across the board, Noahs ability to separate himself may come down to whether that new role opens the door he has been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]