Louisville fires Kenny Payne after basketball coach claims lack of support following two disastrous seasons
The University of Louisville has moved on from head coach Kenny Payne, who won a national championship with the school as a player in 1986, after two disastrous seasons and a 12-52 record.
The decision came just one day after Payne suggested he did not have the proper support.
Louisville Cardinals Kenny Payne during the Clemson Tigers game on Jan. 30, 2024, at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Louisville made the announcement on Wednesday after the Cardinals suffered a 94-85 first-round loss to North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Tuesday.
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"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," Director of Athletics Josh Heird said in a statement provided by the school.
"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."
Payne signed a six-year, $8 million deal when he returned to Louisville in 2022. According to The Associated Press, he is expected to receive a buyout on the deal, which paid a base annual salary of $3.35 million plus incentives.
Head coach Kenny Payne of the Louisville Cardinals watches the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the first round of the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 12, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
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Following Tuesday’s loss, Payne was asked about his future with the program and how he would make his case to return for a third season after his 8-24 campaign this past season. He indicated that he lacked support, but did not specify from whom.
"It’s unfortunate that we’re talking about this right now. When I walked into the program as the new head coach, I talked about (how) I needed everybody on the same page. We sort of forgot that. I talked about how I’m not going to let you blame me – I’m not standing up here by myself. I need all of Louisville with me. We sort of forgot that," Payne said.
"I talked about (how) it’s going to take time, and I’m going to watch and see who jumped on and off the Titanic. We sort of forgot that. I gave a specific time – I said three or four years, and I’m good with it. That’s what I believed at that time, and that’s what I still believe it takes to fix this program."
Coach Kenny Payne huddles with his Louisville Cardinals during the Tar Heels game at the Dean E. Smith Center on Jan. 17, 2024, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
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He continued, "Whether I’m the coach or not, I can look in the mirror and say ‘I gave it everything I had to help this program.’"
Payne went 4-28 in his first season with the Cardinals. He finished with a 12-52 record, the worst consecutive finishes in program history.
Louisville said Wednesday that the search for the program’s next head coach will begin "immediately."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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