The Mark Pope File
Birthdate	September 11, 1972
Birth Place	Omaha, Neb.
Hometown	Bellevue, Wash.
High School	Newport HS in Bellevue, Wash.
Alma Mater	University of Kentucky, 1996
Degree	B.A. in English
Post Graduate Work	Completed two years of medical school at Columbia University in New York
Wife	Lee Anne
Children	Daughters Ella (10), Avery (8), Layla (6), Shay (3)
Playing Background
Played two seasons at the University of Washington from 1991-93; transferred to the University of Kentucky where he played from 1993-96; member of UK's 1996 national championship team; taken by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft; played seven seasons in the NBA and two seasons professionally in Turkey.
Playing Career Year-by-Year
1992	University of Washington (Pac 10 Freshman of the Year)
1993	University of Washington (Pac 10 All-Academic Team)
1994	University of Kentucky (redshirted)
1995	University of Kentucky (Elite Eight; Academic All-SEC)
1996	University of Kentucky (National Champions; team captain)
1997	Efes Pilsen (Turkey)
1998	Indiana Pacers (NBA Eastern Conference Finals)
1999	Indiana Pacers
2000	La Crosse Bobcats (CBA)
2000	Ulkerspor (Turkey)
2001	Milwaukee Bucks (NBA Eastern Conference Finals)
2002	Milwaukee Bucks
2003	New York Knicks (spent season on injured reserve)
2004	Denver Nuggets (played for Coach Bzdelik)
2005	Denver Nuggets (played for Coach Bzdelik)

Seven-year NBA veteran and former national champion Mark Pope spent one season as an assistant coach with the Wake Forest basketball program in 2010-11.

Pope joined the Demon Deacon staff in April of 2010 after serving as the operations coordinator at the University of Georgia under head coach Mark Fox during 2009-10 season.

A native of Bellevue, Wash., Pope played seven seasons in the NBA including two years under Jeff Bzdelik with the Denver Nuggets.

Pope, after graduating from the University of Kentucky in 1996, was selected in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. He spent his first professional season playing in Turkey before beginning his NBA career with the Pacers in 1997-98.

He played two seasons with Indiana under head coach Larry Bird, helping the Pacers advance to the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Chicago Bulls. Fellow Deacon assistant coach Rusty LaRue was a member of that Bulls squad that went on to win the NBA title.

Pope enjoyed a brief stint with the CBA's La Crosse Bobcats under Hall of Famer Dennis Johnson in 2000-01 before finishing the season in Turkey.

Pope returned to the NBA the following year and spent two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks under head coach George Karl. He helped the Bucks advance to the 2001 NBA Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games. Pope had his most successful professional campaign that season, earning 45 starts for the Central Division champion Bucks.

Pope joined the New York Knicks prior to the start of the 2002-03 season but spent the entire year on injured reserve, never suiting up for the team.

He then hooked on with the Denver Nuggets for two seasons from 2003-05, playing under Bzdelik in the coach's final two seasons at the helm of the team.

Pope began his collegiate career at the University of Washington under head coach Lynn Nance and assistant coach Mark Fox. Pope earned Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors in 1992 after setting a UW freshman single-season record with 8.1 rebounds per game. He was named to the conference's All-Academic team the following year in 1993.

Pope still ranks in the top 10 on Washington's career lists for free throw percentage (3rd, 83.8), field goal percentage (5th, 55.2) and rebounding (10th, 8.1). His free throw mark of 86.2 percent in 1993 ranks fifth on the school's single-season list.

Pope transferred to Kentucky following his sophomore season in Seattle and spent three years with the Wildcats playing for head coach Rick Pitino. After redshirting his first year on campus, Pope helped UK win back-to-back SEC titles, advance to the NCAA Elite Eight in 1995 and win the national championship in 1996. He averaged 7.6 points and 5.2 rebounds during the Wildcats' national championship season.

A 1995 Academic All-SEC honoree, Pope graduated from Kentucky in 1996 with a degree in English.

Before joining the basketball staff at Georgia, Pope spent three years in medical school at Columbia University in New York. Pope did much of his pre-med course work during his NBA career.

Pope, 39, and his wife Lee Anne have four daughters: Ella (10), Avery (8), Layla (6) and Shay (3). Lee Anne worked at ESPN before serving as David Letterman's personal assistant for four years.