Gorman: Tragic tale of Herb Pope

Of all the high school basketball I've covered in Western Pennsylvania, there was only one player I expected to make the NBA: Herb Pope.

At 6-foot-9, the former Aliquippa star could rebound, dribble, pass and shoot. He was a Parade All-American who led the Quips to two WPIAL Class AA titles — and only Lance Jeter's heroics kept it from being three.

But, as someone once said, if you gave Pope two choices, he'd always pick the wrong one.

It's why he chose to leave the PIAA silver trophy on the floor of Hershey's Giant Center. It's why he was shot in 2007 on the morning he was supposed to leave for the Roundball Classic.

And it's why Pope now faces charges for allegedly robbing Sewickley Savings Bank on Feb. 16.

“It's just a shame,” said Aliquippa coach Nick Lackovich, an assistant when Pope played for the Quips. “That's a movie, his life. It's unreal.”

Lackovich said Pope should have been playing professionally in Slovenia but couldn't because his passport had expired.

Truth is, Pope should be in the NBA. On a Pittsburgh JOTS team with DeJuan Blair, D.J. Kennedy, Terrelle Pryor and Jon Baldwin, Pope was the superstar.

Blair and Kennedy played in the NBA, Baldwin and Pryor in the NFL. Despite the shooting and suffering a stroke at Seton Hall, Pope had a solid college career and played overseas.

But he's his own worst enemy and made the wrong choices.

“It's a tragedy,” Lackovich said. “I'm really concerned for him because he's probably going to do some time. I love Herb, but at some point you have to be accountable for your actions. I don't know, maybe this is something that will save his life.”

That's the best hope for Pope.

Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.