Kentucky coach Mark Pope joins historic Wheeler's Pharmacy tradition

Kentucky basketball’s head coach Mark Pope led a group of his assistants—including Mark Fox, Mikhail McLean, Cody Fueger, Nick Robinson and Keegan Brown—to the historic Wheeler’s Pharmacy in Lexington. The visit continues a tradition that sees coaches who later captured national championships, such as Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith, pause at the long-standing pharmacy before winning. Founded in 1958 by William K. “Buddy” Wheeler, the shop was transferred to his daughter, pharmacist Claire Wheeler Lewis, in 2020 after Wheeler’s death in 2024.

Pope shared on social media that the team wanted to experience the “legendary” vibe of the establishment, and members posed for photos with staff and patrons. Although the stop is a beloved superstition among “Big Blue Nation,” it offers no guarantee of a future title.