NEW YORK — Tom Thibodeau made it clear the Knicks will not stand in the way of Kenny Payne or any other assistant coach leaving for an NCAA gig.
“Any time somebody has an opportunity to advance, we’ll allow them to interview,” the Knicks head coach said.
Payne will interview for the vacant head coaching spot at DePaul and is the top candidate, according to the Chicago Tribune. It’s not a surprising development. A league source pegged DePaul as Payne's fit, the Daily News reported in December. But he’s not New York’s only assistant drawing interest as the college season comes to a close: Johnnie Bryant, the Knicks associate head coach, has been linked to the University of Utah, where he played until 2007; and Mike Woodson reportedly interviewed with his alma mater Indiana University.
“I am under contract as a coach with the New York Knicks, and I’m going to work right now,’' Woodson told Sports Illustrated. “That’s all I can really say right now.’'
Thibodeau said his staff is prepared for a potential change mid-season.
“We have (assistants) Andy Greer and Darren Erman. And then we have a great player development staff where we have some really bright young guys who are coming along,” Thibodeau said. “I’m very pleased with our staff. We have a great teaching staff. We have a number of guys who could step up.”
DePaul recently hired a new athletic director, DeWayne Peevy, who worked with Payne for a decade at Kentucky. Last week Peevy fired coach Dave Leitao following a 5-14 year. The Demons haven’t secured an NCAA Tournament berth since 2004, which was before they moved to the Big East.
“It was only a matter of time before Kenny Payne got another job,” Peevy told The Athletic after Payne was hired by the Knicks. “He should’ve been a head coach a long time ago and is now getting a chance to be an assistant in the NBA.”
Payne is a longtime associate of Knicks executive William Wesley, a former agent and behind-the-scenes power broker who officially joined James Dolan’s payroll before this season. It’s a relationship that dates back to Payne’s college career at Louisville, where he won a national title in 1986 as teammates with Wesley’s friend, Milt Wagner. As Payne pivoted to coaching as an assistant with Oregon and Kentucky, his career was intertwined with Wesley’s.
Payne arrived in New York after 10 years as an assistant at Kentucky under John Calipari. Wesley pushed the hire despite Payne having no prior relationship with Thibodeau. Payne commanded top salary with the Knicks and was lauded for his work with their front court players, specifically Julius Randle (a Kentucky product). But it hasn’t yet paid dividends with rookie Obi Toppin, who is struggling to find a place in the rotation.
Calipari said in the offseason he was “upset” that his former assistant wasn’t a head coach.
“I’m gonna be honest with you guys,” the Kentucky coach said. “I’m upset that he was never given an opportunity to be a head coach in college basketball. Ridiculous. Ridiculous. I mean, I have no idea why.”
Bryant has worked with the backcourt after six seasons as an assistant with Jazz coach Quin Snyder. The University of Utah fired coach Larry Krystkowiak last week after 10 years. Indiana University recently fired Archie Miller following four mediocre seasons. Woodson, a former NBA head coach, was drafted by the Knicks out of Indiana in 1980.
