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The new breed of coach: Why Mark Pope is embracing what others fear

Related Topics: Tom Izzo, Mark Pope, Nick Saban

Everything in college sports has changed, but not Mark Pope's belief that players need coaches more than ever.

Illinois v Kentucky | Stacy Revere/GettyImages

College basketball has changed. Anyone who has followed the sport for more than a decade can see it—the transfer portal spins faster than ever, NIL deals are everywhere, and the traditional idea of the student-athlete has shifted into something new. Coaches across the country are adjusting, sometimes reluctantly, to an era where rosters are built overnight and agents play as big a role as assistant coaches.