Kenny Payne Informed He Won't Be Fired as Louisville Basketball HC Despite Rumors

Louisville athletic director Josh Heird told reporters that men's basketball coach Kenny Payne will remain the Cardinals' head coach despite rumors of a potential firing amid his 9-35 start with the program since arriving in 2022.

"Kenny and I have had a number of conversations throughout the last week, and Kenny is going to serve as our head coach as we move into the new year," Heird said, per Eric Crawford of WDRB.

"And I'm going to do what I do with every one of our programs, which is evaluate what's happening throughout the season."

Rumors have circulated from numerous sources suggesting that Payne was on the hot seat:

CBS Sports' Matt Norlander then added more information implying that the end could be near.

"My indications and speaking to sources in recent hours here is that Payne is unlikely to be fired before Louisville's game on Sunday," Norlander said on CBS Sports HQ (h/t Matthew McGavic of Louisville Report).

"Which isn't to say it will not happen (before Sunday), I'm saying my sources are indicating it's unlikely that it would happen prior to Sunday. ... Louisville will be moving on from Kenny Payne. The expectation is that will happen sooner rather than later, and that they will not drag this out over the course of the entire season. But a final decision, as of Friday afternoon, has not been made."

Payne's Cardinals went 4-28 (2-18 ACC) last year. They've improved this year to 5-7 (0-1 ACC) but rank just 185th in Ken Pomeroy's rankings. No ACC team aside from Notre Dame ranks lower.

Although Louisville has a better record this season, the team is still undergoing significant growing pains punctuated by an ugly 95-76 home loss to archrival Kentucky on Dec. 21. The team has also suffered defeats to 2-8 DePaul, 4-8 Arkansas State and Division II Kentucky Wesleyan (in an exhibition).

The team's results have naturally led to questions about the status of Payne, who sports an exceptional resume that includes 10 years working under head coach John Calipari at Kentucky and two seasons as a New York Knicks assistant.

Payne also starred at Louisville, winning a national championship in 1986 and getting selected No. 19 overall in the 1989 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

It's easy to see why Louisville hired Payne, who Calipari backed recently after UK's win.

"He's got a really young team," Calipari told reporters.

"And you've got to let him go and do what he does. The players love him because they play for him. They never let go of the rope. And I'm watching and I feel for him. Shoot, we went through it a couple of years ago. The people get mean and nasty. They do. And that's what you have to deal with in this profession. ... My guess is he'll have this program -- within a year -- where everybody wants it. It's just that the growing pains are miserable. We went through it."

Those growing pains are miserable right now as Louisville looks to get on a winning track. For now, the team is off for the remainder of the calendar year before jumping into ACC play for the rest of the way. A road game against No. 22 Virginia looms next on Jan. 3.