Payne hired as Thibs’ first Knick assistant

A knock on Tom Thibodeau at his previous stop in Minnesota was an inability to coach this generation of stars. Specifically, he struggled to connect with Karl-Anthony Towns and soothe locker-room tensions before they bubbled over.

Now he's being given an assistant coach known mostly for three things: recruiting, relationships and developing frontcourt players.

Kenny Payne became Thibodeau's first assistant officially hired Tuesday, making the jump to the NBA after a decade as a Kentucky assistant under John Calipari. For Payne, the connection to the Knicks is easy to understand. He has a longstanding relationship with top New York executive William Wesley, also known as World Wide Wes, who helped Payne recruit players at Kentucky and at his previous stop as Oregon's assistant.

It certainly helps that Payne has developed connections to several former Kentucky players in the NBA, including Towns, Anthony Davis and current Knicks Kevin Knox and Julius Randle. He figures to assist the Knicks in their efforts to attract free agents and star players, with Towns, Davis, Devin Booker, DeAaron Fox and Jamal Murray all connected to Payne as former Wildcats.

Of course, there's also draft rights in the NBA, and a CBA, and tampering, and a salary structure — so the recruiting model of the NCAA doesn't necessarily translate. There's also the concern that the new front office, led by former CAA agents in Wesley and Leon Rose, is stacking the staff with former clients and associates (Thibodeau was also represented by CAA) rather than conducting earnest searches.

Payne became one of the NCAA's highest-paid assistants at Kentucky with a salary of $900,000. His contract was set to expire next year. It's unclear what he's earning with the Knicks, but anything around his Kentucky salary would make him one of the NBA's top-paid assistants.

“This decision wasn't easy for me,” said Payne, whose son, Zan, is a walk-on with the Wildcats. “I have a great job at Kentucky, and to think about leaving has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. But I have also been offered an incredible opportunity with the New York Knicks and a chance to help restore what I believe should be the premier organization in the NBA.”

Payne, 53, has no working history with Thibodeau other than sharing a relationship with Wesley. Thibodeau has said that filling out his staff will be collaborative effort with the front office, and he praised Payne in Tuesday's

press release.

“I'm thrilled that Kenny has joined my staff as an assistant coach. He has an outstanding ability to forge relationships with players and improve their skills,” Thibodeau said. “He knows what it takes to win and has learned from one of the best coaches there is in John Calipari. Kenny will be a tremendous addition to our organization.”

The Knicks are also expected to hire Mike Woodson, their former head coach, as an assistant. Although Woodson also has more of a connection to the front office than to Thibodeau (Woodson is another CAA client), his successful history in New York is seen as a boon.