MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 09: Julius Randle # 30 of the New York Knicks warms up with assistant coach … [+]
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DePaul needs to turn elsewhere in his coaching search now that Knicks assistant Kenny Payne will stay in the NBA.
SportsNet New York recitation Saturday that Payne, the former Kentucky associate coach and regular Knicks supporter, will stay in the NBA. An industry source confirmed the news.
New athletic director DePaul DeWayne Peevy worked with Payne at Kentucky.
It is not clear where the school will turn now. They could make a run at Chicago’s Loyola coach Porter Moser, who lost their team to Oregon State in the Sweet 16 Saturday. Moser was said to be interested in Marquette’s work, which was filled Saturday by former Texas coach Shaka Smart. Indiana’s work is still open and it is possible that the school could run at Moser, although it appears that it is currently focusing on legacy candidates with links to the storied program. Cleveland State head coach Dennis Gates, who hails from Chicago, has also been linked with DePaul.
DePaul fired head coach Dave Leitao March 15 after five last-place finishes in the Middle East Conference.
Leitao, 60, was 127-147 in his second stint at Chicago school, trailing the 51-103 mark in the Middle East. For his career, Leitao is 212-242 in two stops at DePaul plus stints at Virginia and Northeastern.
DePaul was the No. 11 seed in last week’s Big East Championship at Madison Square Garden and beat Providence No. 6 before losing to UConn No. 3, 94-60, in the quarterfinals. . They finished 5-14.
DePaul was the last power-6 school to start playing this year – on Dec. 23 – due to several Covid stops.