There is no credible evidence to support the sensational claim that Kentucky coach Mark Pope turned down a $25 million offer to lead a “Dubai billionaire-funded superteam.” Major and reputable sports outlets have not reported anything resembling that, and the only mentions of Pope declining offers are from unverified and contradictory Facebook posts — one even inflates the figure to $100 million .
Here’s the verified info:
Pope is under a five-year contract with Kentucky worth $27.5 million (about $5.5 million annually) .
His deal extends to March 2030, with the most recent extension adding a year and raising average annual pay to $6.25 million, including incentives .
There are zero reports from mainstream outlets—ESPN, CBS Sports, The Athletic, etc.—mentioning any Dubai job or massive counteroffer.
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Bottom line:
Unless a trustworthy source (like ESPN or The Athletic) picks this up, the story seems to be clickbait or rumor going viral through social media. Based on all confirmed info, Pope is firmly committed to Kentucky through 2030.
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Let me know if you’d like me to monitor credible outlets—I’ll send updates if anything legitimate emerges.
