Connection to Payne a key for Knick exec Wes

William Wesley’s rise to running the Knicks was forged by relationships, with the two most significant to his current position being to James Dolan and Leon Rose. In that order.

As with many career ascensions, networking was essential to Wesley, who is now the Knicks’ Executive Vice President. But his path is also unique to the NBA, beginning as a nightclub promoter in Cherry Hill, NJ. The story isn’t new but former agent Steve Kauffman, who set up the doorman gig for Wesley, filled in some of the blanks in an interview with the Daily News.

The club was conceived as a dual venture between Sixers teammates Rick Mahorn and Charles Barkley. It would’ve been called, “Thump & Bump,” as an ode to the nickname of the bullyish frontcourt duo. But after consulting with Kauffman and his financial advisor, Barkley pulled out. The nightclub then opened as “Mahorn’s” around 1989, becoming a hot spot until running into issues.

“It turned out to be the right thing for Barkley to do because, long after Wes, the club became a mess,” Kauffman said.

Wesley, who grew up in the Philadelphia area, was in his 20s and had already been a presence around the Sixers. That was enhanced by his association with Kenny Payne, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 1989. According to Kauffman, Wesley inquired about working at the club.

“I said I don’t know, and I called Rick. Rick knew who he was since Kenny Payne was on the team. He said, ‘Let me talk to Bark,’” Kauffman recalled. “They both said, ‘Yeah, he could be a doorman.’”

The legend goes that Wesley parlayed his doorman’s position into important celebrity and NBA relationships, which led to larger role in a Chicago nightclub, which led to a connection to Michael Jordan and the dynastic Bulls, which led to his mysterious role as a NBA and NCAA power broker, which eventually brought him to the Knicks.

“Wes is a smooth, good guy, a good talker, and after a couple months, visiting players would come to the club. He was starting to know everybody,” Kauffman said. “He was smart. As young as he was, he knew (being a club promoter) could lead to something.”

PAYNE’S TIME

Speaking of Kenny Payne, he followed Wesley to the Knicks and is now one of the NBA’s highest-paid assistants.

But it’s also no secret that Payne has, at least in the past, desired a head coaching opportunity after serving as NCAA assistant for over 15 years with Oregon and Kentucky.

John Calipari was lamenting it recently.

“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.”

With that in mind, a league source pegged DePaul as a potential landing spot for Payne. The university just hired a new athletic director, DeWayne Peevy, who had worked with Payne at Kentucky for a decade.

“It was only a matter of time before Kenny Payne got another job,” Peevy told The Athletic after Payne left Kentucky. “He should’ve been a head coach a long time ago and is now getting a chance to be an assistant in the NBA.”

DePaul is 1-1 this season under coach Dave Leitao after finishing last season just 3-15 in the Big East.

TOPPIN INJURY UPDATE

Tom Thibodeau revealed this week that Obi Toppin’s calf strain is actually a re-aggravation from a previous injury from training camp. According to a source, the initial tweak occurred when Toppin was doing one of Payne’s drills of sprinting and shooting. Thibodeau said the training staff was on top of the treatment but Toppin was hurt again in the season opener against Indiana.

The eighth overall pick is scheduled for a re-evaluation next week but Thibodeau said Toppin will need to get back into game shape if he’s cleared.