:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59630657/Alexander_Payne.1525453884.jpg)
The Kentucky Wildcats have found a new walk on for the 2018-19 season.
According to KSR, Lexington Catholic star Zan Payne is coming to UK.
It was reported back in November that Payne — the son of UK assistant coach Kenny Payne — could walk on at UK in 2018-19, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
“He’s gonna leave here being a 1,000-point scorer and is probably one of the best rebounders we’ve ever had in school history,” said coach Brandon Salsman.
The 6-4, 200-pound Payne was named Third-Team All-State by the Courier-Journal after averaging 19.3 points per game as a senior. He was named the state’s 23rd-best player in a Herald-Leader survey of high school coaches prior to this season.
Payne started gaining more attention when he scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Lexington Catholic to a 45-40 victory over Marshall County in the annual Marshall County Hoopfest.
After that performance, Kenny Payne said he wanted to see his son earn a scholarship offer to a university and not end up walking on somewhere. It appears that offer never came, so he’ll get a chance to prove himself at UK while annually going against some of the top talent in college basketball.
If Zan does indeed walk on at UK, perhaps that will help Kenny remain in Lexington for several more years. There’s nothing quite like getting to coach your son, not to mention doing so at a great college hoops program like UK.
Sea of Blue comes loaded with the best Kentucky Wildcats links, news and analysis, and some other stuff. Got a link you think we should check out? Email us at seaofblue@gmail.com, or find us on Twitter at @ASeaOfBlue or on Facebook at Facebook.com/GoASOB.