Mark Pope says the iconic denim jerseys are a 'special connection' for BBN

As the captain of that team, Mark Pope knows how much Kentucky's 1996 team's denim jerseys mean to BBN.

Former Kentucky basketball player and new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, left, called athletic director Mitch Barnhart back to the stage so he could have a portrait with his actual game jersey as opposed to the random jersey Barnhart chose during his announcement at Rupp Arena in Lexington Ky. on April 14, 2024. | Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kentucky basketball will be honoring the 1996 National Championship team on Saturday night during their game, not only by wearing a version of the iconic denim jerseys, but welcoming most members of the championship team back for a ceremony. It's going to be a denim-filled day in Rupp Arena.

As the honorary captain of that special team, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope had special words when talking about how much those jerseys, including just the team as a whole, meant to BBN. Pope started off by noting it wasn't the denim that made everyone fall in love with the '96 team, it was the journey to capturing a title.

"we didn't fall in love with the team because of the denim. We fell in love with the denim because of the experience that we all got to share together. And that's what, that's actually what gives it its life and and that's special," Pope said on Friday. "It's just great having them, man, like, these are our guys. Like, these are BBN's guys. And so It's fun to have them all together in the building. It's all good."

unknown date 1996; Lexington, KY, USA: FILE PHOTO; Kentucky Wildcats guard Antoine Walker (24) in action during the 1996 season at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Many Kentucky fans have said in the past this season that this team has to earn the opportunity they have to wear those iconic uniforms. Safe to say that over the last month, they seem to have done that. Kentucky has won seven of their last eight games, including a huge won over No. 15 Arkansas on the road last Saturday. On Friday, Pope preached about his team's abilty to have incredible resilience to overcome hard times.

"There's something powerful about when you just get bludgeoned and bludgeoned and bludgeoned and bludgeoned and you still get up, you still wake up the next day and you come out to the court, because, in its own unique way, you're not scared of it anymore. You're just like, all the things have been tough, they've been hard and we're still standing, we're still fighting."

This year's Kentucky Wildcats will be looking to put on a good showing in front of an iconic team while wearing a version of their uniforms. Check out the jerseys for yourself below.

The new threads are here. @nikebasketball x #GoBigBlue pic.twitter.com/jxJ5ntvbII

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 6, 2026