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The youngest member of Mark Pope’s coaching staff at Kentucky, is set to stay in Lexington through at least the 2026–27 season. McLean, who joined Pope’s first staff last spring on a one-year deal, has signed a contract extension, according to documents obtained by the Herald-Leader.

The former Houston player and long-time staffer under Kelvin Sampson — who most recently served as an assistant at Lamar — will earn $400,000 for the 2025–26 season and $425,000 the following year. McLean initially joined the Wildcats with a base salary of $150,000 plus incentives.

Despite not knowing him prior to hiring him, Pope has consistently praised the 33-year-old, calling him a rising star in the coaching world. “Mikhail is going to be a star in this business,” Pope said late last season. “He has a tremendously high ceiling and has been incredibly valuable to our program.”

As a 6-foot-8 forward during his playing days at Houston, McLean has worked closely with Kentucky’s post players, including Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison, bringing energy and leadership to the team. Pope credited McLean for his mentorship and detailed work with the big men both on and off the court. “He’s in the film room, on the court, in the classroom — he’s doing it all,” Pope added. “He’s going to be a head coach sooner than anyone thinks.”

Next season, McLean will help coach a talented frontcourt that includes returning player Garrison, top NBA prospect Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-11 international recruit Andrija Jelavic, McDonald’s All-American Malachi Moreno, and former Alabama forward Mouhamed Dioubate.

Originally from the Bahamas, McLean moved to Texas at 14 to pursue basketball and now also serves as an assistant coach for the Bahamas national team. His new Kentucky contract includes performance-based bonuses, similar to last year when UK coaches earned a $20,000 bonus for reaching the Sweet 16. Additional incentives remain in place for deeper NCAA Tournament runs and SEC titles.

Associate coach Mark Fox, who was also hired on a one-year deal last spring with a $200,000 salary, is expected to return for the 2025–26 season, though no formal announcement has been made. He has already begun preparations for the upcoming roster.

The rest of Pope’s staff — associate head coach Alvin Brooks III, and assistants Cody Fueger and Jason Hart — are all under two-year contracts. Brooks is set to earn $825,000 next season, while Fueger and Hart will make $525,000 each. Pope himself is under contract through 2029, with an average annual salary of $5.5 million.