Mark Pope makes another hire. He’ll bring one of the nation’s best assistants to Kentucky.
Mark Pope, head coach of the New Kentucky men’s basketball team, speaks to the media at his inaugural press conference at Rupp Arena on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Pope’s introduction in Lexington drew a large crowd. BY JOHN CLAY | UK ATHLETICS. The fourth member of Mark Pope’s original coaching team at the University of Kentucky is now officially announced, and he represents a significant addition to the Wildcats’ men’s basketball program. Alvin Brooks III, a longtime assistant at Baylor, was officially confirmed as the newest hiring at UK on Thursday afternoon, joining a team that includes
Cody Fueger, Jason Hart, and Mark Fox join Pope’s powerful coaching staff for his debut season in command of the Cats. Brooks, 44, has spent the last eight seasons at Baylor under head coach Scott Drew, helping the Bears win the 2021 NCAA title, confirming the program’s standing as a consistent national contender, and establishing himself as one of the nation’s finest recruiters. Brooks began his coaching career at the junior college level 20 years ago, winning NJCAA championships at Arkansas-Fort Smith in 2006 and Midland (Texas) in 2007, before getting his first Division I job at Bradley University for the 2007-08 season.
He spent three years at Bradley and two at Sam Houston State before joining Bruce Weber’s staff at Kansas State in 2012 and moving to Baylor to work under Drew four seasons later. Brooks will have the title of associate head coach at Kentucky, where he will join Fueger and Hart as the third assistant permitted to engage in off-campus recruiting activities on behalf of the program.
He spent three years at Bradley and two at Sam Houston State before joining Bruce Weber’s staff at Kansas State in 2012 and then heading to Baylor to serve with Drew four years later. Brooks will be Kentucky’s associate head coach, joining Fueger and Hart as the third assistant allowed to conduct off-campus recruiting operations on behalf of the program.
“Alvin Brooks is a national champion coach, three times over,” Pope said in a statement released by the UK. “He is one of the most respected tacticians, recruiters, and connection builders in all of college basketball. He has been tutored by some of the game’s best coaches, including Bruce Weber and Scott Drew.
He, his wife Tiffany, and their sons AJ and Austin are going to be a significant part of significant Blue Nation and help us win No. 9.”
Brooks is the son of Lamar head coach Alvin Brooks, who was previously the head coach at Houston and served as Kentucky’s director of basketball operations for both seasons under Billy Gillispie. There had been rumblings for several days that Brooks III could be a part of Pope’s first coaching staff at Kentucky, and it became evident Wednesday that he was really poised to join the Wildcats—
National college basketball analysts applauded the development. CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander described the decision as “a major coup” for Pope, while others praised Brooks’ recruiting skills. The new Kentucky assistant was identified as Baylor’s key recruiter for Keyonte George, Ja’Kobe Walter, and VJ Edgecombe, all top ten recruits in each of the previous three seasons.
