This is a curveball that not many people expected, but in a massive win for BYU and head coach Kevin Young, superstar playmaker and fan favorite Rob Wright isn't going anywhere. In a stunning turn of events, Wright has pulled his name out of the portal, deciding to return to the Cougars instead.
Kentucky fans in full panic mode after Rob Wright's visit goes south
Boom. This week, Wright took an official visit to Kentucky and things seemed like they were going pretty dang great for him in Lexington. However, the recent buzz over the past 24 hours or so was that Mark Pope dropped the ball a bit and Wright wasn't totally sold on Kentucky's plan for him. We now know that was the case, as Wright will be back in Provo.
NEWS: Rob Wright III, the No. 1 overall point guard in the portal, is returning to BYU to play his junior season for Kevin Young, sources tell @247Sports
— Travis Branham (@TravisBranham_) April 15, 2026
Story: https://t.co/KmP8tFOdAg pic.twitter.com/6egWDAC08K
Kentucky missing out on Rob Wright has Wildcats fans losing their minds
Wright is ranked a 5-star transfer and the No. 1 point guard in the portal. The Kentucky faithful were jacked up at the thought of him moving to Lexington, with frat bros on campus even making a banner to try to get him to commit. Now, those same people who were hoping he'd be a floor general for UK next season are in panic mode, while letting Pope have it at the same time.
I’ve tried to stay positive but i’m done. If Rob wanted to be at Kentucky but then spent time with Mark Pope and decided he was good that tells you all you need to know about where this era is headed
— Luke (@luke__859) April 15, 2026
Done sunshine pumping, this coach is an incompetent recruiter can’t do the job https://t.co/H6753nI3k6
Another miss from Pope! Misses keep coming #UK. Please move on from this disaster that is the Mark Pope Era! It’s not working. It was a terrible hire but Mitch got nervous. He can’t recruit, he doesn’t have what it takes to sit in that chair. #Kentucky needs a new MBB HC
— Clutch Sports: Kentucky (@ClutchSportsUK) April 15, 2026
I'm telling you now, mark Pope should be fired he's not the rat coach for Kentucky. You , think last year's team looks bad. You wait until this year.
— 1ukshane (@1ukshane) April 15, 2026
At this point, Mark Pope and UK are going to have to drop a massive bag just to get anyone to commit.
— Tennis World (@TennisWrld) April 15, 2026
No one, and I mean NO ONE, wants to play for Mark Pope. https://t.co/HOV9I2Fvli
— Brett Bibbins (@BrettBibbins) April 15, 2026
Mark Pope was never qualified to coach at Kentucky. Hard to recruit when you’re in over your head from day one. He was handed the keys to a race car but he never learned to drive stick shift. One of the most incompetent hires in the history of UK Athletics. pic.twitter.com/gsPgge4MFu
— Brandon Vincent (@bvince1993) April 15, 2026
Mark Pope in a make it or break it offseason pic.twitter.com/FloVo32mCk
— Kentucky Heat Check (@KYHeatCheck) April 15, 2026
Kentucky about to settle for a PG who can’t shoot to save his life. Shot 18% as a freshman and 31% the next season. A whopping 27% for his career. Mark Pope should be fired on the spot if he’s the PG. https://t.co/3etFjCsnHG
— Unknown (@trashtakl) April 15, 2026
There are plenty more posts just like the ones above where Pope is getting bashed. We went ahead and kept the ones out where plenty of foul language and expletives are flying all over the place too - yup, Kentucky fans are not happy at all.
This is of course nothing for BYU supporters to worry about, as you can go ahead and spend the rest of the day, week and month celebrating the fact that Wright is going to be a playmaker for the Cougs come the 2026-27 campaign.
Wright is a total superstar and he's got the NBA written all over him. It was only a few days ago too where we all assumed he was going to be SEC-bound to be a stud for Pope and Kentucky. Things changed there and life is only going to get worse for Pope if he swings and misses on Tyran Stokes too. Again, nothing for BYU fans to worry about. That mess is all on Pope.
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