LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville has named Kenny Payne, assistant New York Knicks coach and former UofL small forward, as the new head coach of the men’s basketball program.

The University Board of Trustees and the University of Louisville Athletic Association met Friday to confirm Payne as the new hire to replace Chris Mack, who led the Cards from 2018-2022 with a 68-36 record.

Payne's six-year contract with the Cardinals is worth $3.35 million per year with a host of bonuses for coaching honors, tournament appearances and more. 

"The University of Louisville is a destination job and the strength of our candidate pool proved this out,” said Interim Director of Athletics Josh Heird. “After a thorough national search during which we sat down with a number of expectational coaches, it was clear that Kenny Payne was what we need. His basketball knowledge, his passion for his student-athletes, his vision for our program and his understanding of what Louisville Basketball means to our city and to our institution, are evident. I am thrilled to welcome Kenny and Michelle, and their children, Alexis and Zan, to the University of Louisville.” 

As the men's basketball team's first Black head coach, Payne will return to his alma mater for his first head coaching gig.

Payne played for the Cardinals under Denny Crum and was a member of Louisville’s 1986 NCAA national championship team during his freshman year.

The Mississippi native does have a host of coaching experience under his belt.

Payne served as an assistant coach for the University of Oregon and the Kentucky Wildcats under John Calipari. Kentucky is a fierce Bluegrass rival to his new team. One of his children, Zan, currently plays for Kentucky.

Louisville parted ways with Mack in January after a tumultuous start to the 2021-22 season. Assistant Coach Mike Pegues led the Cards for the rest of the season, which resulted in a 13-19 record, a second-round loss in the ACC tournament and no bid to the Big Dance.

After his exit, Mack was earmarked $4.8 million over the rest of the fiscal year and the next three years.

UofL hired Mack in March 2018 after a season in which interim head coach David Padgett led the team to a 22-14 record and an exit in the quarterfinals of the NIT. 

Cardinal controversy

The top job at Louisville is one of prestige, but also one plagued by scandal and controversy. Payne will have to deal with possible NCAA penalties resulting from a 2017 federal corruption investigation of college basketball. Louisville awaits an outcome from The Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) over NCAA allegations against the program following the federal corruption investigation of college basketball.

Six months before hiring Mack, UofL fired Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino amid investigations into the program involving improper benefits given by former director of operations Andre McGee to current and prospective players.

In October 2015, news broke that an escort was paid thousands of dollars from 2010 to 2014 to dance for and have sex with Cardinals players and recruits.

The NCAA found Pitino guilty of a Level I charge for failing to monitor recruiting activities. 

As a result, the program had 123 wins from December 2010 to April 2014 nullified, including a 2012 Final Four appearance and 2013 National Championship win. Louisville’s was the first men’s national title to be vacated by the NCAA.

More recently, former Louisville assistant Dino Gaudio was sentenced to one year on probation after pleading guilty to extortion for threatening to expose potential NCAA violations by Chris Mack unless he was paid off.

Mack’s handling of the Gaudio situation ultimately led to a six-game suspension in the 2021 season, after which the Cardinals failed to get off the ground.