Kenny Payne will make more than several NCAA tourney head coaches

UK assistant Kenny Payne received a hefty raise this offseason in the form of a new three-year deal worth $700,000 annually. That would’ve put him ahead of 22 head coaches in the NCAA Tournament field last season as AN ASSISTANT.

1. John Calipari, Kentucky ($6,356,756)
2. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke ($6,043,979)
3. Rick Pitino, Louisville ($6,004,529)
4. Bill Self, Kansas ($4,955,186)
5. Tom Izzo, Michigan State ($4,006,955)
6. Sean Miller, Arizona ($3,484,500)
7. Thad Matta, Ohio State ($3,372,000)
8. Bob Huggins, West Virginia ($3,265,000)
9. Tom Crean, Indiana ($3,046,250)
10. Bo Ryan, Wisconsin ($2,946,000)
11. John Thompson III, Georgetown ($2,838,271)
12. Jay Wright, Villanova ($2,775,846)
13. Lon Kruger, Oklahoma ($2,750,000)
14. Steve Alford, UCLA ($2,630,000)
15. Rick Barnes, Texas ($2,625,000)
16. Travis Ford, Oklahoma State ($2,625,000)
17. Scott Drew, Baylor ($2,508,015)
18. Matt Painter, Purdue ($2,428,795)
19. Mark Turgeon, Maryland ($2,252,488)
20. Mike Anderson, Arkansas ($2,239,588)
21. Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State ($2,217,250)
22. Mick Cronin, Cincinnati ($2,202,205)
23. Mark Gottfriend, NC State ($2,060,000)
24. Gregg Marshall, Wichita State ($1,980,000)
25. Tony Bennett, Virginia ($1,925,950)
26. Larry Brown, SMU ($1,911,894)
27. Roy Williams, North Carolina ($1,911,402)
28. Dana Altman, Oregon ($1,900,000)
29. Steve Lavin, St. John’s ($1,874,917)
30. Andy Kennedy, Ole Miss ($1,808,814)
31. Fran McCaffery, Iowa ($1,802,200)
32. Mark Fox, Georgia ($1,704,000)
33. Larry Krystkowiak, Utah ($1,600,000)
34. Shaka Smart, VCU ($1,578,500)
35. Mike Brey, Notre Dame ($1,526,488)
36. Johnny Jones, LSU ($1,506,000)
37. Mark Few, Gonzaga ($1,249,603)
38. Ed Cooley, Providence ($1,180,304)
39. Chris Mack, Xavier ($1,109,453)
40. Steve Fisher, San Diego State ($965,440)
41. Larry Shyatt, Wyoming ($715,008)
42. Rick Byrd, Belmont ($709,101)
*** Kenny Payne, Kentucky ($700,000)
43. Archie Miller, Dayton ($652,049)
44. Leon Rice, Boise State ($602,451)
45. Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa ($558,000)
46. Jerod Haase, UAB ($525,000)
47. Ron Hunter, Georgia State ($499,000)
48. Bill Coen, Northeastern ($461,032)
49. Marvin Menzies, New Mexico State ($382,294)
50. Bob McKillop, Davidson ($381,285)
51. Brad Underwood, Stephen F. Austin ($352,500)
52. Will Brown, Albany ($323,660)
53. Bobby Hurley, Buffalo ($315,122)
54. Fran O’Hanlon, Lafayette ($313,087)
55. Russell Turner, Cal-Irvine ($310,000)
56. Bryce Drew, Valparaiso ($285,927)
57. Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina ($275,245)
58. Steve Masiello, Manhattan ($237,636)
59. Mike Davis, Texas Southrn ($230,000)
60. Andy Toole, Robert Morris ($210,022)
61. Matthew Driscoll, North Florida ($202,277)
62. David Richman, North Dakota State ($195,000)
63. Jim Hayford, Eastern Washington ($174,020)
64. Mike Young, Wofford ($161,043)
65. Dave Rose, BYU
66. Chris Holtmann, Butler
67. Tommy Amaker, Harvard
68. Edward Joyner Jr., Hampton

So next time you’re worrying about Payne bolting for a new job, just know it will take a major program with deep pockets to steal him away from UK now.

(Salaries via USA Today)