The Knicks’ rebuild under new head coach Tom Thibodeau began on Tuesday with the addition of prominent University of Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne to his staff. Payne, 53, is a former NBA player who was the lead recruiter at Kentucky under head coach John Calipari.
“I’m thrilled that Kenny has joined my staff as an assistant coach,” Thibodeau said in a statement. “He has an outstanding ability to forge relationships with players and improve their skills. He knows what it takes to win and has learned from one of the best coaches there is in John Calipari.