Mark Pope buyout at Kentucky: Contract details for Wildcats coach

Kentucky men’s basketball’s confusing season came to an end on Sunday.

The 7th-seeded Wildcats of the Midwest Region were handed a 19-point loss by 2-seed Iowa State on Sunday in St. Louis in overtime, giving Kentucky its first exit in the first weekend under Pope, who helped lead the program to a national championship under Rick Pitino as a player.

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Kentucky found some March magic in Friday’s first-round overtime win over 10-seed Santa Clara with Otega Oweh getting off a game-tying 3-pointer from near the logo to tie the game and force overtime. Oweh, who hit a pair of key free throws in overtime, went off for 35 points in the win over the Broncos.

Coming off a Sweet 16 run in Pope’s second season, the honeymoon stage of his return to Lexington was quickly ended this season, as the Wildcats had an up-and-down year that featured losses they “should not have” taken as a “blue blood”, like Missouri, Georgia, and Auburn in SEC play. Kentucky went 1-4 against top-ranked opponents in the nonconference as well.

There were also wins — like Tennessee, Arkansas, St. John’s and Vanderbilt — for the Wildcats that reminded the SEC (and the country) of the talent — that has come at the cost of well over $20 million in NIL value — that Pope has on his roster.

Here’s what to know of Pope’s buyout and contract information at Kentucky following the Wildcats’ loss to Iowa State:

Mark Pope buyout at Kentucky

According to Pope’s contract, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, Kentucky would owe the coach $$12,937,500 million if he were fired on April 1.

Mark Pope contract details at Kentucky

Length: Contract has three years remaining
Base salary remaining: $1.2 million
Supplemental compensation remaining: $16,050,000 million

According to Kentucky’s contract with Pope, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, there are three additional years remaining. addition to his $1,250,000 annual base salary, he is earning $1,800,00 in supplemental pay for the 2026 contract year. In addition to the $1.2 million in base salary remaining ($400,000 per year), there is $16.05 million in supplemental compensation remaining.

All told, the total left on Pope’s deal is $17,250,000. Kentucky would owe the buyout for the remaining 75% of his contract if it decided to fire Pope without cause at anytime.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mark Pope buyout, contract details for Kentucky basketball coach

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