The departure of a Kentucky assistant coach will really hurt the Wildcats chances with Tyran Stokes

It was announced this evening that Kentucky assistant coach Jason Hart is leaving to go be the associate head coach at SMU. Hart will go work for Andy Enfield, whom he worked for at USC previously. This means Coach Pope will be looking for a new assistant, and one who is an elite recruiter.

Some Kentucky fans might not think that losing Coach Hart is all that big of a deal, but it definitely is. Coach Hart was the connection with Tyran Stokes, the #1 recruit in the 2026 class, and G-League star Dink Pate. It is hard to see a world where the Wildcats are able to land either of these guys, with Hart heading to the Lone Star State.

Jan 2, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Rainier Beach High School (WA) forward Tyran Stokes (4) reacts against Mater Dei during the HoopHall West Tournament at Skyline High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Obviously, Coach Pope won't give up on recruiting these guys, but it is going to be a really hard sell knowing these players have such a strong connection with Hart. If the Wildcats aren’t able to land either of these two players, Coach Pope will have to hit the transfer portal really hard in order to bring in some good players for next season.

While perhaps Hart didn’t end up being the elite recruiter we would have hoped, knowing the Wildcats didn’t land a ton of high-level high school talent, it is unfortunate that the door to land Pate and Stokes could be closing. With Otega Oweh gone, the Wildcats will be looking for a new star player this offseason, and both of these guys would have been a good fit to be that player.

February 14, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Team G-League guard Dink Pate (1) of the Mexico City Capitanes shoots the ball against Team C during the 2025 NBA Rising Stars Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

As previously mentioned, Coach Hart leaving means a spot on the staff will open up, and Pope needs to get a coach who can dominate the recruiting trail. Recruiting is not going well right now and is a big argument for the anti-Pope crowd, so the Wildcats head coach needs to get a guy who can bring in players that will help hang banners.

Knowing how much of an effect Hart had on the recruitments of Stokes and Pate, it would be really impressive if Coach Pope was still able to land one of these two. Personally, I don’t see that happening, but it would really quiet the Pope can’t recruit crowd.

This is a very pivotal offseason for the tenure of Coach Pope in Lexington, and Hart leaving for SMU will make this offseason even tougher to manage. Keep an eye out, as some names will quickly come up as potential new coaches in Lexington.