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PROVO — The first transfer portal entry of BYU's post-Mark Pope era has begun, as Dallin Hall's name hit the portal a few hours after the Kentucky announced its new head coach Friday.
The 6-foot-4 sophomore point guard was the first BYU men's basketball player to enter the portal since Pope opted to return to his alma mater in the Bluegrass State, as first reported by Verbal Commits.
It's a big one, too.
Hall averaged 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in BYU's first year in the Big 12, shooting 42.2% from the field and 35.9% from the perimeter while averaging 30 minutes per game in 34 contests that included 30 starts. He led the team in assists in both seasons at BYU, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors last year.
Players are not bound to leave a program upon entering the transfer portal, but coaches are not bound to retain a players' scholarship, either.
Obviously at BYU, the coach in charge of day-to-day decisions is a bit unknown. BYU did not indicate an interim head coach in acknowledging Pope's move, instead thanking the former five-year head coach and one-time Utah Valley boss for his time with the program that included a 110-52 overall record, two NCAA Tournament berths, and 20 wins or more in a season in four of his five seasons.
"We want to thank coach Pope for all that he has given to the BYU men's basketball program in his nine years here as an assistant and head coach," BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a prepared statement. "His unique combination of passion, dedication, creativity and excitement has inspired our BYU community. He led our team to a very successful inaugural Big 12 season, and left the program in a position of strength moving forward. There is a lot for Cougar Nation to be excited about right now. We wish Mark all the best as the head coach at his alma mater. He will always be a part of our BYU family."
Keep up to date on the college basketball transfer portal this offseason with KSL.com's portal tracker, which now includes Hall, former four-star freshman Marcus Adams Jr., and walk-on Tanner Hayhurst, as well as dozens of other men's and women's basketball players from in-state institutions.
Portal Tracker
