Jason Hart and Mark Fox joining Mark Pope’s Kentucky coaching staff

Jason Hart and Mark Fox are being added to Mark Pope’s coaching staff with Kentucky basketball.

Kentucky Wildcats basketball coach Mark Pope continues to build his coaching staff. He is adding two more members in Jason Hart and Mark Fox.

Hart is a former Syracuse Orange guard (1996–2000) who spent 10 years playing in the NBA. He then became the head coach of Taft High School in California (2011-12).

The following year (2012-13), Hart became an assistant coach at Pepperdine, and then became an assistant for USC (2013-21) before becoming the head coach for the NBA G League Ignite. That’s where he’s been since.

Jason Hart is a hire who could enable Pope to thrive at Kentucky and counter the critical and negative reaction to his arrival in Lexington. His recruiting chops and energy could put Pope in a position to succeed.

Mark Fox has head coaching experience, and in the SEC. Pope was an assistant for Fox for one season, and now Fox will be an assistant under Pope.

Hart is expected to be a big part of the recruiting ream for Pope, while Fox will be in a non-recruiting position.