Louisville officially announces hiring of Danny Manning to coaching staff

New Louisville head men’s basketball coach Kenny Payne has made a home run hire, bringing on veteran college basketball coach Danny Manning as his associate head coach. The program officially announced the news on Friday.

“Very rarely do you have an opportunity to hire a coach that encompasses all the experiences that a college basketball player goes through,” Payne said in a statement. “I’m so excited and thrilled to bring a family member, a friend and a coach who has lived a special life as both a player and a coach within the culture I’m trying to establish. Danny Manning is that and much more.”

Manning, 55, most recently served as an assistant and then interim head coach at Maryland and was the head coach at Wake Forest from 2014-2020. Prior to his time at Wake Forest, Manning served as the head coach at Tulsa from 2012-2014 and was an assistant at Kansas from 2006-2012.

A Hattiesburg, Mississippi native, Manning played at Kansas from 1984-1988 and was the top overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. He played in the NBA until 2003, which included stints with the Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons. Manning was a two-time NBA All-Star in 1993 and 1994.

“I am very fortunate, blessed and excited to be part of the City of Louisville, The University of Louisville, and Louisville Basketball with Coach Payne,” Manning said in a statement. “I have spent a lot of fun time watching the Louisville Basketball program dating back to the Metro Conference Tournament. I have been fortunate to watch many people around basketball in my career. KP is someone that I have always admired for his work ethic, knowledge of the game, and passion for helping young men reach their dreams and doing things the right way.

“I am blessed that he has given me this chance to continue working with young men, impacting their lives on and off the court, and helping them reach their dreams. I am equally excited to work with Nolan Smith, as his father was a mentor to me and Kenny. Derek helped show me the ropes of high-level basketball.”

While Louisville’s program declined under former head coach Chris Mack, Payne is making all the right moves to get the Cardinals back on track.