Kentucky Center Brandon Garrison Breaks Down the Unique Post Move Taught to Him by Head Coach Mark Pope

Brandon Garrison’s development as a post player was already on a promising path when he arrived in Lexington, but working under new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope has taken things to another level. Garrison, a 6-foot-11 center who transferred from Oklahoma State, has embraced the fresh approach brought by Pope’s coaching philosophy. That includes a deeper understanding of footwork, balance, and angles — all of which came to life in one particular move Garrison said he had never used before, but now calls “a real weapon.”

When Garrison first arrived on campus, it didn’t take long for him to recognize the difference in expectations. Pope, a former college and NBA big man himself, wasted no time focusing on the intricacies of low-post play. “Coach Pope is different,” Garrison said. “He played the position, and he really knows how to break things down for us in ways that make sense. It’s not just about being big or strong — it’s about reading the defender, using space, and knowing when to go.”

In the early practices, Pope began teaching a variation of a post move that Garrison had seen before but never executed with precision. “It’s a move where you set your defender up like you’re going to the middle with your shoulder, and then you spin back quick with a drop step, but it’s more about timing and misdirection than power,” Garrison explained. “Coach Pope taught me how to sell it with my eyes, shoulders, and foot angle, not just brute force.”

It might sound like a simple counter move, but as Garrison breaks it down, it becomes clear how much detail Pope has put into coaching it. “It’s not just spin and hope it works. There’s a feel to it. You have to know when your defender leans just a little bit or shifts weight. Then you go. He always tells us to look at their hips — when the hips shift, that’s the key.” Garrison said he’s drilled the move hundreds of times since arriving, and it’s already making a difference in scrimmages.

While Garrison made a name for himself at Oklahoma State as a shot blocker and lob threat, he admitted that he didn’t always feel comfortable when asked to score with his back to the basket. “I didn’t have a go-to move before,” he said. “I could get some dunks or putbacks, maybe hit a little jump hook, but if a defender made me think, I didn’t always know what to do. Now I’ve got something I can go to.”

The move, taught by Pope, fits with the coach’s reputation as a player developer. Even during his time at BYU, Pope earned praise for helping bigs expand their offensive games, including improving footwork, shooting touch, and timing. At Kentucky, he’s inheriting a program with a long history of elite frontcourt talent. And while Garrison may not have been the most heralded transfer of the offseason, he’s quickly gaining attention as someone who could be vital to the Wildcats’ plans.

Garrison said Pope’s method goes far beyond teaching a few plays. “It’s not just that one move,” he said. “He makes you think about the game differently. He’s always talking about angles. He’ll stop practice and draw lines on the court, like where your heel should land or where your pivot should finish. He calls it geometry in motion. That’s how detailed he is.”

In Pope’s system, post players are asked to make quick decisions but with a calm mindset. “He says you can’t rush even when you only have one second,” Garrison laughed. “It’s weird, but it makes sense. You train so much on feel and spacing that it slows the game down.”

As Garrison continues to refine his game, the new post move is becoming a foundation piece. “I can go to it now and feel like I’m in control,” he said. “It opens up other things too. Once the defender bites on the spin, I can step through or even kick it out to a shooter. I’ve never felt this confident on the block before.”

Confidence has always been one of Pope’s biggest goals for his bigs. “He tells us that we have to own the paint,” Garrison said. “Not just physically, but mentally. He wants us thinking two moves ahead — like a chess match. And he really believes in us. That’s the biggest part. He believes in me even more than I believed in myself at first.”

When asked about the biggest difference in his game since arriving at Kentucky, Garrison didn’t hesitate. “It’s my footwork and patience. That one move — that fake middle, spin baseline — that’s changed how I think on the floor. It’s not just about scoring with it. It’s that it gives me control. It sets the tone. And once I know I can get to my spot, it changes everything.”

As Kentucky prepares for a new era under Pope, Garrison is expected to play a pivotal role. The Wildcats have retooled the roster with transfers and young talent, but in the frontcourt, Garrison’s presence could be a stabilizing force. His ability to anchor the defense, finish around the rim, and now, confidently work from the block makes him a valuable asset.

Pope has emphasized developing players who can adapt, and Garrison is showing that he’s all-in. “Coach wants us to be skilled. He doesn’t want a center who just clogs up the lane. He wants a guy who can make reads, find the cutter, step out if needed, but still dominate inside. That’s what I’m working toward every day.”

Garrison’s growth is also being noticed by his teammates. “They’re starting to trust me down low more,” he said. “In open runs, they’re feeding me in the post, and they know I’m not just going to throw up a wild shot. I’m going to work the move or find the open man. That’s a big shift.”

Though the season is still a ways off, Garrison is eager to showcase what he’s learned. “I’m excited, man,” he said. “This is the best I’ve felt about my game since I started playing. I know there’s still a lot to learn, but Coach Pope has given me something to build around. That move, it’s a small thing, but it’s changed how I play.”

Fans will get their first extended look at the new Garrison when Kentucky hits the floor for its preseason exhibitions and early non-conference games. Until then, he’s putting in extra hours with Pope and the rest of the coaching staff, fine-tuning every step, every fake, every spin.

In a sport where development often gets overlooked in the whirlwind of high recruiting rankings and flashy highlights, Garrison’s story is a reminder of the power of coaching and detail. One move. One moment. One coach who took the time to teach it the right way.

And for Brandon Garrison, that’s more than enough to change everything.