The Huge Set-back: The Louisville Cardinals men’s are now ban for the 2024 season due to….
The University of Louisville made a choice that will “linger into the future” of the program when it fired men’s basketball coach Kenny Payne after two turbulent seasons, according to the Lexington (Kentucky) Herald Leader.
After a two-year stint that was the worst in Louisville basketball’s recent history, Cameron Drummond wrote in the title of his report on March 14 that “The Cardinals will pay dearly for firing him.” The Cardinals finished with a miserable 12-52 record, losing more than 30 games by double digits.
Payne, 57, was let go on March 13 and was a member of Louisville’s 1986 national championship squad. According to Drummond, the school must pay him $8 million to buy him out because he was not fired for cause.
“Josh Heird, the athletics director at U of L, fired Payne before his buyout was scheduled to drop to $6 million at the beginning of April,” he wrote.
Nevertheless, Payne’s $8 million buyout and the $4.8 million severance payout to outgoing head football coach Chris Mack mean that Louisville still has the resources to look for a top coach to take Payne’s place, Heird stated at his pressconference on March 13.
Sports Illustrated’s Matthew McGavic stated, “There has been speculation that Louisville might not be able to pursue some top coaching candidates because of lofty buyouts.” “Mick Cronin, the head coach of UCLA, for instance, has a buyout that is approximately $20 million.”
Jody Demling \ Follow @jdemling
Breaking: Louisville has finally bid farewell to the Kenny Payne era. Payne was let go by the school following two seasons with a 12-52 record.
12:17 p.m. · March 13, 2024 479 Reply Click here to view 14 responses
Louisville Basketball’s Dark Era
With a 4–28 record, the 2022–2023 season was very bad, being the most losing season in the program’s illustrious history. The team’s 2023–24 season didn’t go much better, ending 8–24 and losing in the first round of the conference tournament.
Payne’s stint not only has the lowest winning percentage in Louisville history, but it also establishes a questionable record for the ACC among coaches who have coached at least 25 games. Under Payne’s direction, the Cardinals’ difficulties were especially evident in conference play, where they had a miserable 5-37 record. The squad had a same appalling record when playing away from the KFC Yum Center, winning only one of their 28 away games.
A record of twelve and fifty-two. at Louisville University.
remarkably awful. The worst P5 coach in collegiate basketball history. This link: t.co/PTzUIhJvoq
— March 13, 2024, Bryce Spalding (@bryce_spalding)
At the time of his termination, Payne was the fourth-highest paid coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the 24th-highest paid men’s collegiate basketball coach in 2024.
What Does Louisville Basketball’s Future Hold?
The university has the difficult task of bringing the program back to its previous prominence while it looks for Payne’s replacement. Louisville basketball’s great history and potential make it a desirable destination for future players despite the present difficulties. With sufficient funding and resources, the university is well-positioned to draw elite talent to steer the program in the right direction.
