The New York Knicks announced Kentucky Wildcats associate head coach, Kenny Payne, will join the team as an assistant to new head coach Tom Thibodeau. Payne is the first formal addition to Thibodeau’s coaching staff. It’s anticipated that he’ll be the primary developmental guru for the team’s young core.
If you’re not familiar with Kenny Payne, it’s time to get acquainted with his resume. If the young core of the Knicks can show they’re moving in the right direction under Thibodeau, Payne likely will have played an integral role.
That’s because of Payne’s track record for player development. While at Kentucky, as John Calipari’s right-hand man for ten seasons, Payne helped send nine big men into the NBA Lottery, including Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Kentucky, under Calipari, has become a launching pad for future NBA draft picks. The Knicks have a plethora of draft picks to work with over the next few years. It just so happens they also have two Kentucky players on their roster, Kevin Knox and Julius Randle. Both players are familiar with Payne from their collegiate days.
Phase one of the Thibodeau era is off to a strong start. I’m already looking forward to what phase two potentially brings.
