Kentucky basketball associate head coach won’t return for 2026-27, per report
By David Wasson
Published:
The Kentucky basketball team under-achieved compared against expectations in 2025-26, and the Wildcats aren’t done shuffling their administrative roster as a result.
A day after hiring “director of roster management” Keegan Brown to his staff, Kentucky coach Mark Pope reportedly parted ways with associate head coach Alvin Brooks III.
KSR reported the move Friday, saying that Brooks was out after two seasons – including the 2025-26 campaign that saw the Wildcats spend exorbitantly to assemble a roster that turned in a 22-14 record and failed to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Brooks, who previously had stops at Kansas State, Sam Houston State, and Bradley on his coaching resume dating back to 2006, had a hand in nearly every facet of Kentucky’s program – as he was involved in recruiting, defensive schemes and scouting along with on-court coaching.
Brooks’ departure is the second assistant coach to leave Pope’s staff, as Jason Hart accepted a position as associate head coach at SMU earlier in March.
Kentucky never fully gelled in 2025-26 despite Pope and the Wildcats spending a reported $22 million on roster construction, losing critical conference games to unranked Missouri, Georgia, Auburn and Texas A&M before solidifying their March Madness chances with SEC Tournament victories over LSU and Mizzou.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
