Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne remains a strong candidate for the new Knicks coaching staff, but it’s not a done deal.
In an interview with Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald-Leader, Payne spoke of the Knicks’ interest in him, saying it is a situation he hopes will be resolved soon.
“All I can say is that it’s not an easy decision,” Payne said. “And hopefully here it will soon be resolved one way or another.”
Payne went on to talk about his time as a college coach, what he enjoyed and why it would be difficult to leave the situation he has in Kentucky.
“What people think is difficult about college basketball, I love college basketball,” he said. “I love to recruit and build relationships with families. All this is important to me. “
Payne has been instrumental in the success Kentucky has had over the past decade. Since joining the staff for the 2010-11 season, the Wildcats have been at four Final Fours, won the 2012 NCAA championship, and produced a slew of NBA stars who played a major role in development.
Losing Payne would be a blow to Kentucky, as he is simply one of the best assistants in all of college basketball. He was recently ranked as a Senior SEC Assistant by Stadium.
It’s unclear how much the Knicks are offering Payne and how much Kentucky is willing to come close to match him. That phrase “hopefully this will be resolved one way or another here soon” makes me think the school is working or has already made a counter offer to whatever the Knicks are offering.
We’ve seen the school put up with some hard shots from other schools for soccer assistant Vince Marrow, only to keep it in the end. Can Basketball Cats do the same with their assistant ace?
Be sure to read the full Herald-Leader report for more information from Payne.
