Report: Louisville Narrowing Coaching Search to Kenny Payne

The current assistant for the Knicks is reportedly on the verge of heading back to his alma mater.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville's search for a new head men's basketball coach could soon be coming to a close.

UofL has "narrowed its search" to New York Knicks assistant coach Kenny Payne, according to Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde. Discussions are still ongoing and nothing has yet been signed, but Payne could introduced as the next head head coach as early as Thursday, per Forde.

Payne has been the presumed frontrunner for the position ever since it opened up in late January, when the program mutually parted ways with head coach Chris Mack. He was also in the running for the job in 2018, before then-athletic director Vince Tyra opted to hire Mack.

Should talks not fall through, Payne will become the 21st permanent head coach in program history, and just the fourth since 1971. He would also become the first ever African American head coach for a program long overdue to hire a minority to be the head man in charge.

The Laurel, Miss. native was a four-year player for the Cardinals from 1985 to 1989, helping Louisville win their second national championship in 1986. He was also a 1,000-point scorer and a first round NBA Draft pick for the Sixers in 1989.

As a coach, Payne developed a reputation as an elite recruiter and one of the top assistants in all of college basketball while at Kentucky from 2010 to 2020. He played a significant role in signing top-two classes in each of his ten seasons with the Wildcats, helping them make four trips to the Final Four with a national title in 2012.

Payne has been with the Knicks since August of 2020, and also spent five seasons as an assistant coach for Oregon from 2004 to 2009. As a player, he spent four seasons in Philadelphia, followed by a variety of overseas stops.

(Photo of Kenny Payne via the Associated Press)

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