Rick Pitino gave Mark Pope an endorsement. In St. John’s-Kentucky, he might get some healing

While fans and media members were compiling dream lists of coaching candidates for Kentucky last year after John Calipari left for Arkansas, Rick Pitino had, in his mind, the perfect person.

It wasn’t anyone flashy. It wasn’t someone who would create major buzz.

It was a man who held Kentucky dear to his heart.

Mark Pope.