Kentucky Basketball Posts New 'Player Development' Job Ahead of Postseason

The university is seeking an Associate Director to focus on analytics, scouting, and player development.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The University of Kentucky has posted a new job opening for its men's basketball program, seeking an Associate Director of Player Development to help shape the team's future. The role will focus on integrating analytics, scouting, prospect evaluation, and strategic player development to provide the coaching staff with actionable insights on current players and recruits.

Why it matters

This new hire is part of Kentucky head coach Mark Pope's efforts to bolster the team's support staff ahead of a crucial offseason. The Wildcats lost several key support staff members last year, including the Director of Player Development and Director of Basketball Administration, so this new position aims to fill some of those gaps.

The details

The job posting describes the role as playing a 'central role in shaping the Kentucky Men's basketball program' through the use of advanced data modeling, video analysis, and performance evaluation tools. The new hire will work closely with the coaching staff on roster management, talent evaluation, and on-court coaching activities, pending anticipated NCAA rule changes.

  • The job posting was listed on March 8, 2026.
  • The deadline to apply for the position is March 13, 2026.

The players

Mark Pope

The head coach of the Kentucky men's basketball team.

Brett Ryback

The former Director of Player Development for the Kentucky men's basketball team.

Will Barton

The former Director of Basketball Administration for the Kentucky men's basketball team.

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What’s next

Interested candidates have until March 13, 2026 to apply for the Associate Director of Player Development position at the University of Kentucky.

The takeaway

This new hire is a key part of Kentucky's efforts to bolster its support staff and player development capabilities ahead of a crucial offseason. The Wildcats are looking to fill gaps left by recent departures and leverage data, analytics, and strategic planning to optimize the team's roster and on-court performance.