Five Takeaways from Kenny Payne's Introductory Presser

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kenny Payne is officially the next man to lead the Louisville men's basketball program.

The ULAA Board of Directors formally approved his contract Friday morning, and was subsequently introduced as the Cardinals' head coach in the Spirit Room of the KFC Yum! Center.

"I'm so humbled," he said. "This is so surreal. This is unbelievable, to be able to come back and have a whole state behind you."

Here are five of our takeaways from his introductory press conference:

Payne very clearly understands the magnitude that the position entails.

Out of the many reasons why the Chris Mack era did not work out at Louisville, it can be best summarized by the fact that he didn't quite understand the magnitude of the job.

After listening through Kenny Payne's introductory press conference, that is not something Louisville fans should have to worry about at all.

During his entire presser, Payne continuously preached a message of community togetherness, and that he alone could not do the job required. Given that he played for Louisville and had been in the state of Kentucky as an assistant coach, it is very apparent that he understands the off-court role of the the job.

"This is a unique situation. This isn’t just a job," he said. "Hopefully, you’re seeing this through my eyes. This isn’t a first-time head coach. This is you guys coaching with me. I’m not up here by myself. My brothers are with me, this community has to be with me, this state has to be with me.

"Yes, I’ve had opportunities to be a head coach before now. It wasn’t right, this is right. The reason it's right is because it’s not about me at all. It's about all of you. I took this job for the University of Louisville, for the community, and for this state.”

He already knows the coaching style he wants to implement.

The elephant in the room when it comes to Payne's hiring was the fact that he had never been a head coach before. The move is very much high risk/high reward, as there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to his coaching style and basketball philosophy.

As far as his overall philosophy goes, Payne falls squarely in the camp of not wanting to be overly controlling, and getting his players to "play with structure."

"Here is what I believe - the days of controlling a basketball game are over. It is easy to get beat if the coach is trying to control it," he said.

What about the actual on-court product? Payne mentioned four staples of what he hopes his teams will embrace: getting out in transition, world-class conditioning, defending with a "ferociousness and a viciousness" that allows them to control the pace, and being a great passing team.

"That would be the way I see this, the way it has to be done. I know y'all don’t want to sit here and see a game in the 50s," he added.

His recruiting prowess should carry over into the age of the transfer portal and name, image, likeness.

One of the biggest draws when it comes to Payne is his abilities as a recruiter. During his decade with the Wildcats, he helped them secure ten straight top-two classes, with five of them ranked No. 1.

Since Payne left the Wildcats to join the Knicks, recruiting has taken a dramatic shift. While one-and-dones still rule the roost to an extent, the transfer portal and name, image, likeness have taken a stranglehold on the landscape in the last couple years.

Even with recruiting looking completely different than it did when he was last in college, his ability to land top-tier talent shouldn't take a hit. That's because of his overall approach to it, starting with forging relationships and being a straight-shooter, so to speak.

"I know I cannot lie to a mother and father. I know I have to have high character young men. I’m going to recruit their parents," he said. "I’m not going to go into a home and try to just get the kid and not try to get his support system. You all as adults understand the importance of that. I can’t do it that way. I have to be able to have a family buy into what I’m doing. It can’t be one-sided."

He wants to put together a player-first coaching staff.

Now that Payne's hiring is official, the focus shifts to who will be joining him on his coaching and support staff. A few names have already emerged, such as Joel Justis, Nolan Smith and Milt Wagner.

When it comes time for Payne to start interviewing candidates for his staff, there is one trait that they absolutely must possess: be someone who understands that a player's college experience will last with them for the rest of their lives.

"There are brilliant basketball minds, that never are about young people. I can’t use you," he said. "No matter how smart, no matter how much knowledge you have in this game, you have to care about them. ... When I put together this staff, I’m putting together men that love young people. Men that are going to put the kids first. The program first. Then themselves last, and that’s important to me."

While Payne knows the urgency when it comes to putting together a staff, he also said he's not going to sacrifice the quality of a candidate just for the sake of filling a spot.

"Should I put them around a guy who has a great basketball mind but a bad person? Or should I take my time in evaluate. Believe me I know that there is a rush. I must do what is best for this program, best for young people, and the university," he said.

Neither Nike, or the NCAA, had a negative influence in his decision to come to Louisville.

After Payne quickly emerged as the frontrunner for the job when it opened up in late January, many were quick to point out his ties to Nike (specifically their AAU circuits) as a potential roadblock since Louisville is an Adidas school.

When asked about that in his introductory presser, Payne merely said that his relationship to Nike was "not a working relationship." He even added that Phil Knight, Nike's owner, encouraged him to take the job.

"They are my family, the head guy that runs that organization is like my uncle," Payne said. "He’s a family member just like these guys. He loves me and I love him. The guys that run that organization, they are part of my family. They spent time together. What I’m saying to you is that we have the both of best worlds if that makes sense.”

Another potential roadblock, for a multitude of candidates and not just Payne, is the fact that Louisville still has the NCAA hanging over their heads, and a severe punishment is likely coming soon.

This came up during his interview with interim AD Josh Heird, and Payne asked that Heird run through what could be viewed as the worst-case scenario.

"He went through his mind what the worst could be. I took the job. Understand what that means, I took the job," Payne said.

(Photo of Kenny Payne: Scott Utterback - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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