Friday night saw Kentucky basketball officially begin the 2024-25 season. The annual event showcases the current rosters, coaches, and sometimes some surprises. The biggest of those was the appearance by former coach Rick Pitino, who is also attending Saturday’s football game.
Despite being the current head coach at St. John’s, Pitino showed up in Lexington decked out in Kentucky regalia to support Mark Pope. He seemed to almost tear up as he addressed the crowd, who very loudly showed their approval of his being there.
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He told fans:
Mark Pope is going to lead you to greatness in every sense of the word.
It was a special moment for everyone involved, and the fans clearly were excited to have him attending.
Former players like Doron Lamb and Willie Cauley-Stein were in attendance as well, and football coach Mark Stoops also spoke to the crowd. It was an exciting night for fans, and getting Coach Pitino back in Lexington for a night helped make this another successful Big Blue Madness.