Knicks assistant Kenny Payne passes on DePaul jobon March 28, 2021 at 12:01 am

The DePaul coaching search moves to its next phase.

While first-year athletic director DeWayne Peevy has interviewed several candidates, the primary focus for weeks has been on New York Knicks assistant coach Kenny Payne.

There has been a back-and-forth between the two parties, with many in the industry believing a deal was imminent with Payne, whom Peevy spent a decade with when they were at Kentucky. But Payne officially withdrew his name from consideration Saturday.

According to sources, the early process centered on Payne, Cleveland State coach Dennis Gates and Duke assistant coach Jon Scheyer. Pacific coach Damon Stoudamire, South Carolina coach Frank Martin and Illinois assistant coach Orlando Antigua reportedly have been contacted about the job.

However, with Loyola eliminated from the NCAA Tournament after its Sweet 16 loss to Oregon State, does DePaul’s attention turn to Porter Moser?

Moser is the hottest coaching name on the market, and the coaching carousel this year is very active. Moser reportedly is on Indiana’s short list. But does DePaul now go all in on Moser, who led Loyola to a Final Four in 2018 and a follow-up tournament run this month?

Maybe the question is how does DePaul not go after the coach who’s a little over six miles from its campus? And will Moser entertain DePaul’s interest, the step up to the Big East and the challenge of another college basketball rebuild in Chicago?

It’s now believed Moser, Gates and Scheyer will be the primary focus of DePaul’s search. But Moser does have options — and potentially others coming — including staying at the program he has built from the ground up. Loyola is financially prepared to do what it takes to keep its star in place.

Gates, a Chicago native who starred at Whitney Young in the late 1990s, just led Cleveland State to the NCAA Tournament in his second season as coach.

Scheyer is on coaching legend Mike Krzyzewski’s staff at Duke. He’s a basketball icon in the state from his days at Glenbrook North.

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