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Mark Pope visits G-League’s Dink Pate amid previous criticism of NCAA rules
Just weeks after Mark Pope pleaded with the NCAA to “bring back sanity” regarding professional players returning to college, the Kentucky head coach is in Philadelphia pursuing a pro prospect of his own.
Mark Pope had some harsh words for the Charles Bediako situation when it was announced that he would be returning to college basketball after playing in the NBA’s G-League.
“”I’m going to take a minute to talk about this. You guys know, just so you get our word here on what’s happening in the NCAA right now with eligibility… we’re all shaking our hands being like this is so incredibly creative. I’ll give you my two cents just so you have it. At some point, I don’t have hard feelings towards anybody making any decision because every single college program and college coach are the most competitive people in the world. They’re going to try and find any avenue they can to find an advantage. It’s just what we’re paid to do. It’s what we do. The one stopgap that is kind of spreading right now that maybe has some legs, is kind of a last stand, is the NCAA does get to decide who gets to go to the NCAA tournament. Like, they get to decide that they have that power.””
And now he is about to do something similar himself with Dink Pate.
Mark Pope is actively recruiting a professional player
Currently, Mark Pope is in Philadelphia to watch Dink Pate who plays for the Westchester Knicks, according to a report from Patrick Cassat.
Hey Kentucky Basketball fans!
Mark Pope is in Philadelphia to watch Dink Pate play.
Pate is currently on the Westchester Knicks but is looking to potentially to play college basketball next season. pic.twitter.com/VMmnMriqVM
— Patrick Cassat (@PatrickCassat) March 4, 2026
Pate became the youngest player to ever play in the NBA’s G-League Ignite in 2023 when he was just 17 years old. He signed a two-year contract, but the team folded due to the new NIL laws in college. That left Pate in a really tough spot, because he was not eligible for the NBA Draft but had already signed a contract that precluded him from being able to play in college, until now.
The difference between Charles Bediako and Dink Pate
Bediako was originally approved for a return to college basketball, before another judge decided his petition wasn’t good enough and denied to allow him to continue playing. He had already played 2 years of college basketball at that point, went pro and was drafted. He had also signed a 2-way contract allowing the San Antonio Spurs to call him up at any time. He never appeared in a pro game but that contract proved a sticking point in his eligibility.
Dink Pate doesn’t have that problem.
He has never signed a 2-way deal, and he has never played in college basketball. He is still just 19 years old, and has a better chance of gaining full eligibility. He spoke earlier this season saying he would finish his season with the Westchester Knicks and determine his next steps.
Pate is a former 5-star recruit in the class of 2023. And for now it looks like he has a real shot at suiting up the Cats next season.
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