Louisville HC Kenny Payne 'Excited' for First Preseason Practice
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The first year of the Kenny Payne era of the Louisville men's basketball program is almost here.
This Friday, the Cardinals will gather on the courts of the Kueber Center and conduct their first practice session of the 2022-23 preseason. Like last year, teams across college basketball will be able to practice for a maximum of four hours per day and 20 per week.
This time of year isn't new to Payne, as he has been through plenty of preseason practices as an assistant coach at both Kentucky and Oregon. That being said, he does admit that getting to do so as a first-time head coach at his alma mater does mean a little bit more to him.
"It's unbelievable. It's a big responsibility, but it's a responsibility that I welcome," Payne said Thursday after the Denny Crum Hall dedication ceremony. "I feel like I've been groomed for this in every phase of my life, even before I became a coach. It all led to this. I'm excited about it."
Practice might only just now be starting, as it is everywhere across college basketball, but Louisville has been hard at work since the early goings of the summer. Most of their time has been spent in the gym, getting acclimated to Payne's notorious workouts.
Given that Louisville's margin for error will be razor thin this upcoming season, Payne felt that it was imperative to start putting his players to the test very early in the offseason.
"I can say this: June was vital, July was vital," he said. "I talked about it every day, we're not a team that has a bunch of wiggle room. We're a team that, every single day, we have to do it with fight, and love, and togetherness. It started back in the summer."
Louisville returns only six scholarship players from last season's team, one that went just 13-19 for their first losing season in over two decades. Guard El Ellis, wing Mike James; and big men Sydney Curry, Jae'Lyn Withers, Roosevelt Wheeler and J.J. Traynor opted to return.
Over the offseason, Payne signed one transfer and three incoming freshman. Forward/Center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield came over from Tennessee; while wings Kamari Lands & Devin Ree and guard Fabio Basili are newcomers from the high school ranks.
Payne freely admits that, at least in his first year as a head coach, he is less concerned about Louisville's win-loss record will be, and more so how his players respond to competing day-in and day-out. The wins will eventually come as a byproduct of a good system and culture he instills.
"I hate to say it like this, but I'm more intrigued with the process than I am the W's and L's," he said. "For me, it's about winning or learning. Nothing else."
With the season roughly and month and a half away, Payne has started to integrate parts of his system into the workouts. But he has made sure that anything that his players learn from the playbook only comes immediately after conditioning. If they can learn it while fresh off of a workout, it will only come more natural to them in the heat of a game.
"We have thrown in some X's and O's, and playbook stuff. But I want them to know it from a fatigued state, from a tired state," he said. "I don't want you fresh doing it. I want you doing it after conditioning, so that you can learn to focus when you're tired."
For Payne, there's a method to his madness. As he has stated many times before, everything he does as a coach only serves to help better his players. He is putting his guys through an offseason-long grind, because he knows that his first year as head coach will have some stiff competition.
Louisville could face multiple top-25 teams in the Maui Invitational, including Arkansas. They also will square off against Kentucky and Maryland, as well as the gauntlet that is ACC play.
"For me, it's about, how do I get them a little bit better?" he said. "How do I get them to buy in and understand exactly why I'm doing what I'm doing? Why am I constantly saying, 'I want this to be the hardest day that you'll ever go through,' every single day? Why am I saying that?
"Because we're gonna face a tough schedule. We're playing good teams with great coaches, and we don't have room for error. We got to go out and fight and earn everything we get."
Fortunately, Payne says his players have bought into everything that he has preached so far this offseason.
"They're great kids, they're trying hard. I'm pushing them beyond what they think they can do, what they think they can give me. But I'm gonna keep pushing."
(Photo of Kenny Payne: By Pat McDonogh - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)
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