Kenny Payne to Evaluate Who 'Deserves' to Return to Louisville
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The worst season in Louisville men's basketball history is finally over.
With their 80-62 loss to Boston College in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, the Cardinals finish their 2022-23 campaign with an overall record of 4-28. It's the most losses in a single season by UofL, breaking the previous mark set by the 1997-98 team that went 12-20.
First year head Kenny Payne said after the loss to the Eagles that he is going to "take the next few days and gather my thoughts" on how he gets Louisville back to "where it needs to be." After those few days, he's going to have to have some uncomfortable conversations.
As is the norm in this era of college basketball, Louisville is likely going to be subject to players entering the transfer portal of their own volition. However, during one-on-one conversations that Payne plans on having with each individual player, he doesn't rule out suggesting that a player move on from the Cardinals.
"I've got to sit down with each person, and we got to come up with strategy, with a plan. What they're looking for and what I'm looking for," he said in a post-game interview with Learfield's Jody Demling. "Some of it, to be honest, it's not gonna be what they want to hear. Some of it may not hear what I want to hear."
Ever since Payne took the job nearly 12 months ago, he has stressed the importance of his players understanding what it means to play for Louisville. That they not only grasp their history and tradition, but know that it comes with a great amount of personal sacrifice.
Payne says that if there's a player - or players - that don't grasp this concept, he has no problem with showing them the door.
"We'll figure it out, meet with each other, and see who deserves - as I said in the beginning - to be in that jersey," he said. "Who understands what it means to be in that jersey. Who's up for the obligation of being in that jersey. If not, I had a year to evaluate it. If you don't deserve to be in that jersey, as much as I love you, I can't have you in that jersey."
Between those being told by Payne to leave and those who will voluntarily leave, on top of Payne wanting to infuse the Cardinals with new talent via the transfer portal, it has potential to be a mass exodus for Louisville. They scored just 63.9 points per game while allowing 75.8, finished with an assist/turnover rate of 0.63, and secured just 32.22 rebounds per game. All these metrics, as of Wednesday, rank outside the top-300.
Guard El Ellis and forward Sydney Curry went through Senior Day, but have the option to return and take advantage of a COVID waiver year. Ellis and forward Mike James finished as the only players to average double figures in scoring for the year at 17.7 and 10.1 points per game, respectively.
(Photo of Kenny Payne: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)
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