Sunday Quickies: Kenny Payne Watch Edition

All eyes are on UK’s assistant coach as he weighs an offer to join the New York Knicks.

By Zac Oakes@ZacOakes Aug 9, 2020, 6:40am EDT

All eyes in the Big Blue Nation are on Kentucky Basketball assistant coach Kenny Payne.

Payne is currently weighing an offer from the New York Knicks to join the new regime being created in The Big Apple. Details of that offer are sketchy right now, so it is unclear if the offer includes a pay raise or what other benefits are part of the offer.

With Leon Rose and World Wide Wes leading the way for what Knicks fans hope to be a culture change, Payne could be intrigued to join them in New York.

But leaving Kentucky isn’t an easy thing to do, as Payne has alluded to.

He’s been in Lexington since the 2010-2011 season and has been heavily involved in the recruitment of several of the players on this year’s team, not to mention players that Kentucky is actively recruiting.

His son, Zan Payne, plays for the Wildcats as well.

Leaving something that you have been so instrumental in creating certainly would be difficult.

Whatever decision Payne makes, he should have the support of the Kentucky fanbase. The man has given an incredible amount of time and energy to this program over the years, and if he decides to take this opportunity, fans should wish him well and tons of success.

But selfishly, I hope he stays in Lexington. His influence on the recruiting trail and the way he has developed players at Kentucky over the last several years has been incredible and losing that would be a massive hit for the program.

Right now, there isn’t much of a timeline that exists for the decision, so stay tuned for when an announcement comes.