LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kenny Payne and the University of Louisville are parting ways after two seasons. Director of Athletics Josh Heird announced the decision Wednesday, March 12 following the Cardinals’ unceremonious exit from the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament to end their season.
“Kenny has given a great deal to this university over a span of nearly 40 years, and he will always be a valued member of our Louisville family,” Heird said. “When we brought Kenny home in 2022, no one had a stronger belief than me in his potential success, but it’s become clear that a change is needed to help this program achieve what is expected and attainable. While it is always difficult to make a coaching transition, this is the right one for our program. On behalf of myself and everyone involved with our men’s basketball program, I want to thank Kenny for his dedication to UofL. I wish him and his family the very best in their future.”
Payne came back to his alma mater with much fanfare in March 2022 following the dismissal of former coach Chris Mack. The hometown favorite never seemed to catch his footing, going 12-52 in his two seasons at the helm. That includes an 8-24 record in the 2023-24 season and a program-low 4-28 finish last season. Louisville was 1-28 away from home under the former Cardinals player and had just five wins in ACC play.
"While there have been brief moments of progress, ultimately, I did not see the sustained progression I was looking for," Heird said Wednesday during a news conference. "In the end, while this decision is incredibly difficult to make because of who Kenny is and what he means to our university, I do feel it is the correct decision for this program and this department."
"I hired Kenny. It doesn't matter if it's an entry-level position or a head basketball coach who's highly visible; you want people to be successful. I think it's been hard to see those successes over the last two years."
Payne had a six-year contract through 2028 that calls for an $8 million buyout if he is terminated before April 1. He was paid a $3.35 million annual salary, plus incentives.
The Mississippi native was a familiar face to fans, scoring 1,000 points while playing under Hall of Fame coach Denny Crum from 1985 to 1989 and played for the 1986 NCAA Championship team.
UofL Athletics said a national search for Louisville’s next head coach will begin immediately. Heird said there is no timetable for when a decision will be made.
He added he does not plan to use a search firm; however, he has an advisory committee of two to three people who will give input. He did not list names.
Some qualities Heird said he's looking for in the ideal candidate include the ability to build a program, navigate the name, image and likeness (NIL) landscape, successful communication with fans and media members, a community presence and adaptability.
"We've got to have somebody who's dying to coach this basketball program," Heird said. "They will crawl here to coach this basketball program because that's how much it means to them, and I think we can sort that out through conversations as we begin the search."
Heird delivered the news to players and staff members Wednesday morning and told them to take their time, he said. While he acknowledged it will be an uphill climb for whoever takes the role, there will still be high expectations because of the pressure from fans and its visibility.
"This basketball program is the lifeblood of this athletic department, this university and this city," he said. "To say that it's not going to be given the resources to be successful would be incorrect."
Payne played briefly in the NBA before launching his coaching career with 10 years as an assistant under John Calipari at Kentucky and two years as an assistant with the New York Knicks prior to his stint with Louisville. Known for recruiting and player development, it was Payne’s first head coaching job. He was the 21st permanent head coach and the first Black head coach in program history.