Great news: Ex- Louisville Cardinals head coach Kenny Payne re-unites with rivals Arkansas Razorbacks as coach cals assistant….

Kenny Payne, the former head coach of Louisville, agreed to a three-year deal to work as the men’s basketball assistant coach at the University of Arkansas. The agreement between Payne and Arkansas will end on April 14, 2027. Payne, 57, will receive a yearly salary of $900,000. (AP/Easley, Timothy D.)

FAYETTEVILLE: The University of Arkansas men’s basketball team finalized a three-year contract with Kenny Payne as their assistant coach on Thursday.

Payne,57, will receive $900,000 annually as part of the contract, which is valid until the 2026–2027 campaign. It’s thought to be the biggest assistant coach compensation in Arkansas basketball history.

Friday saw the contract made available in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Payne is eligible for annual bonuses of up to $100,000.

Arkansas will receive a $50,000 bonus for qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and another $50,000 bonus if they make it to the Sweet 16.

The University of Louisville will pay Payne a buyout through March 31, 2027, according to the Louisville (Ky.) Courier Journal. His income from Arkansas will somewhat offset the potential $7.25 million cost of those buyout payments to the institution.

The agreement Payne has with Arkansas expires on April 14, 2027. Subject to mitigation, he shall be entitled to the remaining compensation under his contract till the expiration date if the Razorbacks fire him for convenience.

A no-compete clause in the deal would prevent Payne from taking an assistant coaching position in the SEC. It would not be against the clause for him to take a head coaching position within the conference.

If Payne goes to take a position as an assistant coach elsewhere, he might be obligated to pay Arkansas a buyout. Twenty percent of his contract’s remaining value would be the buyout amount. If the athletic director at UA decides to waive the buyout, he won’t be required to pay one if he accepts a head coaching post.

Payne was sacked on March 13 after two seasons of 12-52 results at his alma college, Louisville. Louisville faced possible punishment from the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Resolution Process when he took the position. The five-year

During Payne’s first season, the program’s investigation came to a conclusion without any consequences.

Payne served as John Calipari’s 10-year assistant coach at Kentucky, where he was a member of four teams that advanced to the Final Four and took home a national championship in 2012. Payne was Calipari’s first hire after he was appointed head coach of Arkansas on April 10.

With a no-compete clause and a basic salary of $7 million plus annual retention bonuses, Calipari’s contract is the biggest for an Arkansas head coach.

Letters of resignation for former Arkansas assistants Todd Lee and Anthony Ruta were discovered through FOIA requests. Ruta announced in his letter of resignation that he intended to take a position at Southern Cal, where Eric Musselman, the former head coach of the Razorbacks, was hired earlier this month. Lee omitted to mention his plans.

In his social media bio, Michael Musselman—who worked as his father’s assistant at Arkansas—identifies as an assistant coach at USC. No new employees have been formally announced by USC to work under Eric Musselman.

Additionally, Ronnie Brewer and Keith Smart served as Arkansas’s assistant coaches in 2023–2024. That staff was scheduled to receive an annual salary of $954,000, which was marginally higher than Payne’s.

The Arkansas basketball website lists Brewer and Payne as assistant coaches, but it’s unclear if Brewer will be on Calipari’s staff for the upcoming campaign.