If there’s one word that defines this year’s Kentucky basketball team under Mark Pope, it’s competition. During Pro Day and recent practices, the coaching staff couldn’t stop talking about the fierce energy inside the gym — where practices have become so heated that they’ve had to tone things down just to keep players from going overboard.
Those watching the Pro Day broadcast may not have seen as much basketball action as the fans at Memorial Coliseum, but they certainly caught a glimpse of a program that’s oozing confidence, depth, and intensity.
The Competitive Edge
Assistant coaches Alvin Brooks III, Mark Fox, and Mikhail McLean each shared stories that paint a picture of a team obsessed with winning — even in practice.
Alvin Brooks III explained that defensive pride is driving everything:
> “We’ve got a lot of guys competing to be Defensive Player of the Year. They’re locked in, talking trash, going at each other, and it’s to the point we have to dial back practice plans so they don’t overdo it.”
But what stands out most is the camaraderie that follows the battles.
> “They’ll go hard at each other, then laugh and hug after. You’d never know they just spent two hours trying to knock each other down.”
Mark Fox echoed that sentiment, noting the “alpha energy” running through the roster:
> “We’ve got a lot of alpha males. These guys are tenacious. We even have to turn it down sometimes because they go so hard. This group can win at both ends.”
And Mikhail McLean might have summed it up best:
> “We almost have to beg them to stop competing. Even on light days, they’re diving on the floor, blocking shots, and talking trash. They’re just wired that way. We never have to motivate them — it’s built in.”
A Depth Problem Every Coach Wants
If the fire of this Kentucky team starts with competition, its foundation is depth. Every coach emphasized just how loaded this roster is from top to bottom.
Alvin Brooks III didn’t hold back:
> “This may be the deepest team I’ve ever been a part of. From top to bottom, we’ve got talent that could win a national championship — we just need to stay healthy and together.”
McLean added that it’s not just depth — it’s balance:
> “We’re two or three deep at every position. You could walk into practice and not know who the starters are. One team wins three days in a row, the next team wins seven. That’s how even it is.”
That level of competition has Pope experimenting with lineups during practice scrimmages.
> “Usually, I can stack a team and predict who wins,” Pope said. “But the last five days, I’ve tried everything, and it never works. Every time I stack one side, the other team rises up. That’s how competitive and deep we are.”
During Pro Day, the White Team featured Jaland Lowe, Denzel Aberdeen, Malachi Moreno, Mo Dioubate, Trent Noah, and Braydon Hawthorne, while the Blue Team consisted of Brandon Garrison, Collin Chandler, Reece Potter, Jasper Johnson, Andrija Jelavic, and Kam Williams.
Otega Oweh and Jayden Quaintance sat out of 5-on-5 scrimmages, but Pope noted that every group brings the same level of intensity, regardless of who’s on the floor.
“Iron Sharpens Iron”
Mark Pope connected this competitive spirit back to his own playing days at Kentucky.
> “Our practices back then were harder than the games. I was on the second unit, and it felt like that team alone could’ve competed for a national title. That’s exactly what I’m seeing again with this group.”
Pope and his assistants aren’t just building a team — they’re shaping a culture where iron sharpens iron every single day. With 13 players capable of starting at most high-major programs, Kentucky’s biggest challenge might not come from its opponents, but from within its own gym.
