Calipari backs ex-asst. Payne in the middle of ‘growing discomforts’

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN Staff WriterDec 21, 2023, 10:27 PM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

LOUISVILLE, Ky.– Minutes after No. 9 Kentucky defeated competing Louisville in a lopsided 95-76 road triumph Thursday, Wildcats coach John Calipari said his Cardinals equivalent, Kenny Payne, is worthy of more time at the helm of the program.Payne, Calipari’s friend and former assistant, now has a record of 9-35 overall and 2-19 in ACC play given that he was worked with to lead his university last season. Calipari stated Louisville continues to improve and that if Payne is offered the possibility to coach the Cardinals into next season, they will reveal significant strides.He said Kentucky dealt with comparable analysis throughout the 2020-21 season, when the Wildcats finished 9-16, the worst record in the program’s contemporary history. “He’s got an actually young team,” Calipari said.” And you have actually got to let

him go and do what he does. The players enjoy him because they play for him. They never ever let go of the rope. And I’m seeing and I feel for him. Shoot, we went through it a couple of years ago. Individuals get imply and nasty. They do. Which’s what you have to handle in this occupation. … My guess is he’ll have this program– within a year– where everybody desires it. It’s simply that the growing discomforts are unpleasant. We went through it.”Editor’s Picks 2 Related Payne said he continues to remain favorable but also said he knows he has work to do. “Undoubtedly

, there are things I might have done much better,” Payne stated.”There are some games that we lost that we might have won, ought to have won. On paper, it says we were the much better group. I’m not sitting here and saying I’m not at fault. I’m not delighted with where we are. But I likewise understand that we still can get better. And there is a great deal of room for development. But it’s not all on the kids. I have to do a better task of getting these guys prepared to play truly great teams. “Louisville athletic director Josh Heird has not yet offered public comment on Payne’s status. But speculation about the coach’s

future has actually remained given that last season, when the Cardinals ended up 4-28. Louisville has actually connected on simply 28.9% of its 3-point efforts this season and its opponents have made 53.3%of their shots inside the arc, 2 of the worst marks in the nation. Losses to Chattanooga, DePaul and Arkansas State have hurt Louisville, which is now 267th in the NET rankings. DePaul (272) and Vanderbilt (297 )are the only major-conference teams ranked lower than the Cardinals.But Payne stated his team is enhancing throughout the turbulent season. Louisville outscored Kentucky 43-42 in the second half of Thursday’s game.He said he’ll likely turn to the transfer portal this offseason to include more talent because the majority of high school employees couldn’t break his rotation today. The skill space between his lineup and the one at Kentucky, he stated, is shrinking.

“If I’m using Kentucky as a determining stick? Did you see all those All-Americans out there?”Payne stated.”The first thing I’ll state is I don’t know what the game was last year, however to me, I see sections where the gap is closing. I do not know if fans see

it or if you guys see it as media people, but the space is closing. And I seem like we’re headed in the best direction. “On Thursday, the bulk of the KFC Yum! Center was filled with Kentucky fans who chanted, “Blue! White!” throughout the game. Louisville has actually battled with restricted attendance for its 2nd consecutive season under Payne as the team’s struggles continue. But the players’faith in their coach has not waned.Skyy Clark, who led Louisville with 20 points Thursday, said the group still thinks in Payne. “We’re still rocking with KP,”he stated. “We have no control over what choices are being made. We don’t even have time to stress over that or focus on that. We have a game that’s showing up. We’re entering into conference play, so that’s what we’re focused on

. We have actually got to control what we can manage.” For Calipari, Thursday appeared challenging even though he won the game. After the success, he shared a long accept with Payne in the handshake line. “He’s going to be great, and I’ll tell you that when [your gamers] love you that much and how they’re responding to him, it’s just a matter of time,”Calipari said.