Mark Pope, the new head coach of Kentucky men’s basketball, recently got an unexpected crash course in Lexington’s rush-hour congestion—thanks to his wife.
On Tuesday morning, Pope’s wife, Lee Anne, found herself stranded on South Broadway after her car ran out of gas. As soon as he got the call, Pope wasted no time, hopping into his car—affectionately nicknamed “The Pope Mobile” by fans—and rushing to her aid.
During an appearance on the Goodman and Hummel Podcast, Pope recounted the moment, explaining that the call came in just as he was about to start a Zoom compliance meeting. “It’s 9:01, and I get a call from Lee Anne—she’s out of gas on the busiest road in Lexington,” he said.
With the 6-foot-10 coach standing by a disabled vehicle, it wasn’t long before the situation attracted attention. Given Kentucky basketball’s passionate following, news of the incident spread rapidly.
“The police were already there, and it turned into this whole thing,” Pope shared. “We’re trying to get gas while people are honking, yelling, ‘Go Cats!’”
Social media users on X (formerly Twitter) noted that the incident temporarily reduced South Broadway to just one lane. However, fans were eager to lend a hand. One even joked online that they’d brave an obstacle course while nine months pregnant, towing nine kids on safety leashes, just to bring Pope the best-quality fuel.
On Wednesday, university officials confirmed the key details of the situation. Meanwhile, Pope’s squad was preparing for its first exhibition game of the season against Kentucky Wesleyan that evening.
