Stephen Whitehead
July 23, 2020
Kenny Payne
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 25/11/1966
- Place of Birth: Laurel, Mississippi (USA)
- Position: SF
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 88
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Louisville (1985–1989)
NBL CAREER OVERVIEW
NBL DEBUT
21/10/00
Age 33
LAST NBL GAME
18/11/00
Age 33
TEAM HISTORY
- Cairns2001
CHAMPIONSHIPS
NoneBIO: Kenny Payne was born in Laurel, Mississippi (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Kenny Payne made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 33 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.
Kenny Payne played one season in the NBL. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 6 NBL games.
HIGHLIGHTS:
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 34 | Cairns | 6-22 (9) | 6 | 163 | 80 | 27 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 21 | 34 | 79 | 43% | 3 | 9 | 33% | 9 | 12 | 75% | 47% | 45% | 21 | Totals | 6 | 163 | 80 | 27 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 21 | 34 | 79 | 43.0% | 3 | 9 | 33.3% | 9 | 12 | 75.0% | 47% | 45% | 21 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | 34 | Cairns | 6-22 (9) | 6 | 27.2 | 13.3 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 13.2 | 43% | 0.5 | 1.5 | 33% | 1.5 | 2.0 | 75% | 47% | 45% | 21 | Total | 6 | 27.2 | 13.3 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 13.2 | 43.0% | 0.5 | 1.5 | 33.3% | 1.5 | 2.0 | 75.0% | 47% | 45% | 21 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 21 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Kenny Payne was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with pick #19 in the 1989 NBA Draft.
In four NBA seasons from 1989 to 1993 for the Sixers, he averaged 3.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. He was waived by the team in January, 1993 after failing to live up to expectations. Following his NBA stint, Payne played one season in the Continental Basketball Association in 1993/94, averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Tri-City Chinook.
Payne played 144 games in the NBA. He averaged 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- June 28, 1988: Traded by the Seattle SuperSonics (as a future 1989 1st round draft pick) with Gary Grant to the Los Angeles Clippers for Michael Cage.
-
June 28, 1988: Traded by the Los Angeles Clippers (as a future 1989 1st round draft pick) with Hersey Hawkins to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Smith.
-
June 27, 1989: Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1st round (19th pick) of the 1989 NBA Draft.
- September 26, 1989: Signed a multi-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
- January 6, 1993: Waived by the Philadelphia 76ers.
- January 8, 1993: Became a free agent after being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 77% | 67% | 33% | 73% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 34 | 79 | 43.0% | 3 | 9 | 33.3% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 26 | Philadelphia | SF | 13 | 0 | 154 | 84 | 24 | 18 | 4 | 20 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 38 | 90 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 46% | 44% | |||
| 1991-92 | 25 | Philadelphia | SF | 49 | 3 | 353 | 144 | 54 | 17 | 13 | 41 | 16 | 8 | 19 | 34 | 65 | 145 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 48% | 47% | |||
| 1990-91 | 24 | Philadelphia | SF | 47 | 6 | 444 | 166 | 66 | 16 | 17 | 49 | 10 | 6 | 21 | 43 | 68 | 189 | 4 | 18 | 26 | 29 | 41% | 37% | |||
| 1989-90 | 23 | Philadelphia | SF | 35 | 4 | 216 | 114 | 26 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 37 | 47 | 108 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 18 | 49% | 45% | Total | 144 | 13 | 1167 | 508 | 170 | 61 | 45 | 125 | 38 | 22 | 67 | 129 | 218 | 532 | 41% | 17 | 58 | 29% | 55 | 64 | 86% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 26 | Philadelphia | SF | 13 | 0 | 11.8 | 6.5 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 42% | 0.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 46% | 44% | ||
| 1991-92 | 25 | Philadelphia | SF | 49 | 3 | 7.2 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 45% | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 48% | 47% | ||
| 1990-91 | 24 | Philadelphia | SF | 47 | 6 | 9.4 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 4.0 | 36% | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 41% | 37% | ||
| 1989-90 | 23 | Philadelphia | SF | 35 | 4 | 6.2 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 44% | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 49% | 45% | Total | 144 | 13 | 8.1 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 3.7 | 41% | 0.1 | 0.4 | 29% | 0.4 | 0.4 | 86% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
-
Italy
- Virtus Roma1992–1993
Japan
- Toshiba1994
Brazil
- Flamengo1998
Philippines
- Gordon's Gin Boars1998
China
- Beijing Ducks1999–2000
Argentina
- Libertad1999–2000
Payne began his overseas career with a stint in Italy in 1992, appearing for Virtus Roma in Lega Basket Serie A action, including a 15-point effort in 33 minutes against Mangiaebevi Bologna and a 10-point outing in 23 minutes versus Scavolini Pesaro during the 1992–93 season.
He then spent multiple seasons playing in Japan from 1994 to 1996, with Toshiba listed among the foreign-player signings in Japan in 1994.
Across 1997–98, Payne played in South America, including time in Brazil with Flamengo in 1998, and he also had a brief Philippine Basketball Association stint in 1998 with Gordon’s Gin Boars, where he played one game and scored 37 points in a 107–97 loss to Formula Shell on November 6, 1998.
Payne later played in Cyprus during the 1998–99 season, before moving to China for 1999–2000, joining Beijing Shougang in the CBA and serving as a backup import during that stretch.
He would go on to play in Argentina around 2000, suiting up for Libertad Sunchales and appearing in 16 games before playing in the NBL. There, he averaged 10.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, with the team finishing sixth and losing a 3–2 quarterfinal series to Gimnasia.
COLLEGE
Kenny Payne played college basketball at the University of Louisville from 1985–86 through 1988–89, appearing in 129 games across four seasons and establishing himself as one of the most reliable and productive guards in program history during the Denny Crum era.
Payne made an immediate impact as a freshman in the 1985–86 season, contributing as a rotation guard on Louisville’s national championship team that finished 33–7 and defeated Duke 72–69 in the NCAA Championship Game in Dallas to claim the school’s second NCAA title.
During that 1986 championship run, Payne played in all 40 games, averaging 5.6 points and 2.2 assists per game, while shooting over 50 percent from the field and providing backcourt depth and defensive pressure for a veteran Cardinals roster led by Pervis Ellison and Milt Wagner.
His role expanded significantly as a sophomore in 1986–87, when he started 33 games and averaged 9.4 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, ranking among the Metro Conference leaders in assists and helping Louisville reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
As a junior in 1987–88, Payne emerged as the team’s primary floor general, starting all 33 games and averaging 11.0 points and 5.4 assists per game, while shooting 52.4 percent from the field and earning First Team All-Metro Conference honours as Louisville advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
Payne delivered his best statistical season as a senior in 1988–89, starting all 34 games and averaging 13.2 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game, finishing second in the Metro Conference in assists and ranking among the national leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio.
That senior campaign included multiple standout performances, highlighted by a career-high 29-point outing against DePaul on January 14, 1989, along with double-digit assist games against Memphis State and Florida State, as Louisville finished 21–13 and earned another NCAA Tournament berth.
Across his Louisville career, Payne totalled 1,163 points, 592 assists, and 248 steals, finishing his tenure ranked top five in school history in career assists at the time of his graduation and becoming one of the most durable guards of the Crum era by playing in more games than any other Cardinal during his four-year span.
Payne’s collegiate résumé includes an NCAA national championship, four NCAA Tournament appearances, three seasons as a full-time starter, All-Conference honours, and a reputation as one of the most efficient playmakers and perimeter defenders in Louisville basketball history.
COACHING HISTORY
In 2012, Payne met with Mississippi State University's athletic director about its men's basketball head-coaching vacancy, though, ultimately, he was not hired.
Related
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