When John Calipari was introduced as the new University of Arkansas men’s basketball coach on April 10, and many times since, he reminded UA fans he hadn’t been cheered so loudly by them since being ejected as Kentucky’s coach for drawing two technical fouls against the Razorbacks on Jan. 18, 2020.
Calipari has repeated the story numerous times the last few months when making appearances around the state, always adding that after his ejection, Kentucky came back to win the game 73-66.
What fans might have forgotten is who filled in for Calipari on the bench and led Kentucky to victory.
It was Wildcats assistant Kenny Payne who took over head coaching duties when Calipari went to the locker room and Arkansas moved ahead 47-44 on Mason Jones’ three free throws with 8:19 left in the second half resulting from the technicals.
“Arkansas was in control of the game,” Payne said recently. “Our backs were against the wall against a hostile crowd and against a very good team.
“It was one of those situations where you say, ‘OK, what do we do to make sure that we get back in this game? Let’s try to make it a war and see what happens.’ “
Led by point guard Tyrese Maxey, who now stars for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Wildcats went on a 17-2 run by pushing the tempo on offense and playing lockdown defense.
“The players did it for Cal,” Payne said. “He was fighting for them when he got ejected and they wanted to fight and win the game for their coach.”
Payne left Kentucky after that season for the NBA to take an assistant’s job with the New York Knicks, then became head coach at the University of Louisville, his alma mater.
When things didn’t go well at Louisville and Payne was fired after a combined 12-52 record the previous two seasons, he reunited with Calipari at Arkansas.
Payne, 57, again is Calipari’s top assistant with the title of associate head coach.
There were offers to return to the NBA, Payne said, but nothing compared to coaching with Calipari again.
Payne was on staff when Kentucky won the 2012 national championship and played in three other Final Fours in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
“Cal is a friend, a mentor, a boss,” Payne said. “The things that he’s done for my career, for my family, spiritually, emotionally, financially, all of it, he’s been in my life throughout this whole process since I got into coaching.
“I love the man. I love what he’s about. … It’s vital that you have men of character, men of faith, men that care about young people. They need coaches in their lives like a John Calipari to help them get on the right path.”
