Coach Cal: Knicks will feel Payne
John Calipari knows a lot about winning basketball, and he knows the Knicks are a long way from it.
But the Kentucky coach is rooting for their rebuild, rooting for them to bring a title back to the Garden. And he insists his now ex-assistant Kenny Payne can help Tom Thibodeau bring one.
“I want the Knicks to win, and I want the Knicks to compete for a championship, and I want the Knicks to win a championship, OK? My overriding concern in this is Kenny Payne; that’s like my brother,” Calipari said on a Wednesday conference call, adding Payne deserved a college head coaching shot and he would’ve recommended him as his successor for the plum UK post.
“I just wanted to make sure that ... Kenny understood he’s leaving a great situation here. He’s paid a lot of money here, the highest-paid in college basketball. Now all of a sudden he’s coming to the Knicks, and it’s going to be a build. But here’s his strengths; how are you going to utilize him? And Thibs was on point. He went point-topoint. … He knew why he wanted him on his staff.” The Knicks haven’t won a title since 1973. Heck, they haven’t made the postseason since 2013.
But they do have cash, giving Payne a raise on his $900,000 salary with a $1.5 million payday. They also have history, and Thibodeau, whom Calipari called a “terrific coach.” And a front office spearheaded by ex-CAA agent Leon Rose and William
“World Wide Wes” Wesley, both of whom go way back with Calipari.
“Leon is a gatherer. Leon is about bringing people together. Leon is one that’ll stay in the background and let other people become stars, and the reality is they’re becoming stars because he’s in the background helping in any way he can to put them in great position,” Calipari said. “What Wes will do for Leon is, ‘How can you help him do what he’s trying to do?’ … Wes’ relationships, they’re going to help. But Leon has his relationships, too.”
Calipari knows all about those relationships. It was Wesley that helped him get Camden’s Dajuan Wagner to Memphis when Calipari coached there. And Payne — who has sent nine big men into the lottery as a Kentucky assistant, including Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns — has tons of relationships.
It would strain credulity to think the Knicks aren’t hoping some of those relationships can lure an ex-UK star or two. Maybe Towns or Devin Booker, who has averaged 31.0 points per game during the restart.
But they’re also likely counting on Payne to develop the trove of draft picks they have coming the next few years, and his own ex Wildcats in the shooting challenged Julius Rand le and the young Kevin Knox.
“What I’m happy about the two that know him well, Julius and Kevin, I think you’ll see a change for the better,” Calipari said. “Obviously Julius has done well, but now
I’m saying that next step up. And Kevin is what I told you guys would happen, it was going to take a year or two to get going because of his age. … That’ll help those two.”
Calipari also thinks the move will help Payne, 53, who’ll benefit from being around the meticulous Thibodeau, a former NBA Coach of the Year.
“The experience for Kenny is going to be unbelievable,” Calipari said. “He’s going to learn from a workhorse. He’s going to learn from a guy that basketball is his life. Creating teams, creating a culture, that’s Thibs’ life. That’s what he does, nothing else. He’s like Kentucky Fried Chicken; he does chicken. He doesn’t do a whole lot of other stuff. It’s going to be great for Kenny to see and be there.”