He Just Wants to Hoop! Mark Pope Raves About Kentucky’s Secret Weapon from Europe
In the heart of Lexington, whispers of an unassuming European import are beginning to echo through the rafters of Rupp Arena. Mark Pope, Kentucky’s new head coach, isn’t whispering, though—he’s shouting it. “He just wants to hoop,” Pope said with a gleam in his eye, referring to 19-year-old Croatian sensation Luka Vuković, the Wildcats’ secret weapon with a game as smooth as his accent is thick.
Standing 6’9” with a wingspan that seemingly stretches across continents, Vuković arrived in Kentucky not with fanfare, but with fierce focus. No flash. No ego. Just a quiet hunger to play, to prove, and to win. Pope, known for his player development and eye for overlooked talent, couldn’t hide his excitement. “We didn’t just get a kid from Europe—we got a killer with a conscience,” he said.
Vuković’s journey is as cinematic as it is inspiring. Raised in Split, Croatia, he grew up idolizing Dražen Petrović and studying the tape of Dirk Nowitzki. With a father who coached in the Croatian second league and a mother who was a former Olympic handball player, Luka’s work ethic was forged in discipline. At 14, he was already facing grown men in pro-level scrimmages. By 17, he was turning heads in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament, where he dropped 28 points and 10 rebounds on Real Madrid’s junior squad.
But what makes Luka different, Pope emphasizes, is not just his stat sheet—it’s his spirit. “He’s got that rare purity in the game. He doesn’t care about NIL deals or Instagram followers. He’s here because he loves basketball more than anything else,” Pope said during a recent media availability. “And that love shows every time he steps on the floor.”
Vuković’s style is a blend of old-world fundamentals and modern flair. He’s a stretch forward who can guard four positions, shoot the three, bang inside, and pass like a guard. Kentucky fans saw glimpses during open practice scrimmages—no-look dishes, step-back threes, and a relentless motor on defense. Word is spreading fast: this kid can play.
Yet, for all the praise, Luka remains humble. “Coach Pope believes in me. That’s all I need,” he said in his thick accent, shrugging off the hype. “In Croatia, we say, ‘Do the work, let others talk.’ So I work.”
As the Wildcats prepare for a grueling SEC slate and a Final Four run, don’t be surprised if Vuković becomes the X-factor. He might not dominate headlines—yet—but come March, he could be the difference between a deep tournament run and another year of what-ifs. In Mark Pope’s words: “He’s not a star because of flash. He’s a star because of fire. And Kentucky’s about to see it burn.”
