Kenny Payne in No Rush to Assemble Coaching Staff

The head coach of the Cardinals finally hired his first bench assistant, and isn't in a hurry to hire the other two.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Earlier this week, Louisville men's basketball head coach Kenny Payne made the first addition to his assistant coaching staff, introducing former Duke assistant Nolan Smith on Monday.

Smith had spent 10 of the last 15 years with the Blue Devils as both a player and a staff member, but has plenty of ties to the Cardinals. He was born in Louisville, and is the son of former Louisville star Derek Smith, who is the program's seventh-leading scorer and helped them win a championship in 1980.

Now, the focus shifts to who Payne will bring in next to sit on the bench alongside Smith. Even though it took over three week for the first assistant coach to be brought in, Payne isn't in a rush to hire the other two.

"Great question," Payne said when asked about the timeline regarding the hiring process for the two vacant assistant spots. "I don't know if it's the right timing, I just hit a home run. I'm gonna take my time."

It's the same stance that Payne took when asked about it during his own introductory press conference, saying that he wanted to "take my time in evaluate" prospective assistants. He knew there would be a rush to hire them, but also did not want to make a mistake and hire a staff that didn't fit.

"You know the criteria that I'm looking for," Payne said Monday. "You have to love kids, you have to have the ability to look young people in the face, and ask them 'what are their dreams? What are their goals?', and you got to be committed to helping them reach them."

As far as who Payne is targeting to complete his staff, there has been very little chatter over the last couple weeks. Former Louisville star Milt Wagner - who has been an assistant with UTEP and Auburn in the past, and is the grandfather of No. 1 overall class of 2023 prospect D.J. Wagner - has been rumored to join Payne's staff, but nothing has been officially announced. 

No matter who Payne decides to bring in, Smith knows that he will make the right hire. He says Payne hasn't asked him for much input as to who he should hire, and that Payne will " go with his instincts and his gut."

"He's been in this game a long time," Smith said at his introductory press conference. "He knows who's gonna be a player-first guy, who's gonna put these players first and their families, and he's he's gonna make the right hire on that.

"We're excited. I know he's going to put together a group that knows game of basketball, that's going to embrace this program and embrace this community."

(Photo of Nolan Smith, Kenny Payne: Matt Stone - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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