University of Kentucky associate head coach Kenny Payne is leaving the Wildcats basketball program. He’s headed to the NBA to be an assistant to the New York Knicks and new head coach Tom Thibodeau. Kentucky coach John Calipari said in a Twitter post that it was a bittersweet day for the UK program. He also stated Payne has been an extremely important part of their success. Calipari added Payne’s relationship with the players is second to none.
Several reports are indicating James “Bruiser” Flint, an assistant at Indiana who formerly worked on Calipari’s staff at UMass will be Payne’s replacement.. Flint was head coach at Drexel from 2001-16.