Kenny Payne addresses his vision for Louisville moving forward after Year One

It wasn’t a great first season for Kenny Payne at Louisville, as the Cardinals’ year came to an end by virtue of an 80-62 loss to Boston College in the ACC Tournament.

Payne’s squad ended their season with just four wins, something that many didn’t expect at the onset of the season. Still, he has a vision for success at Louisville, and he explained more on it after the demoralizing loss.

“I feel very blessed to be at my school,” started Payne. “I remember a couple years ago when Juwan Howard and I were talking and he got the Michigan job, and I talked about the gift and the curse.

“Everybody thinks it’s just — it’s all going to be hunky-dory and success. But when you go back to your school, your alma mater, the place you love, where you had your foundation built, there’s an uncomfortable feeling you have every single day.”

After prefacing with the fact that there’s going to be trials and tribulations while taking on such a challenge, Payne explained the responsibility he feels to the Cardinals.

“I’m sitting in a position where I’m responsible for all the former players that ever played at that university. I’m responsible for the joy to bring it back to a community that loves, absolutely loves the University of Louisville basketball program, for years,” added Payne. “I’m in charge of making sure that these young men are loved.

“I just told them, I feel good, couldn’t care less about the wins and losses right now. I never, ever cheated them one day. I pushed them as hard as I could, and when everybody else jumped off the boat or when whoever jumped off the boat, I was with them, with my whole heart.”

Additionally, Payne made sure to let his players know that he does them, and that they’ve learned some valuable lessons from the hardships on the 2022-2023 season.

“I love them, but I hope that they learn from this season that in order to be a great team, you have to be connected to one another, and you have to pour your heart and soul into what it is that you want to do,” stated Payne. “That’s whether to be a great team or a great player.”

Indisputably, Kenny Payne understands what it takes. Now can he get Louisville there? That remains to be seen, but he’s going to have ample opportunity to do so.