Jesse Payne enters his first season as an assistant coach for the LeMoyne-Owen College men’s basketball program under Head Coach Faragi Phillips. A Memphis native, Payne brings valuable coaching experience and a strong commitment to helping student-athletes succeed on and off the court.
Before joining the Magicians, Payne spent two seasons as an assistant boys’ basketball coach at Central High School in Memphis. During his tenure, Central compiled a 41–17 record, while all three senior student-athletes from the program earned opportunities to continue their playing careers at the collegiate level.
Payne’s connection with Coach Phillips dates back to his own playing career. He played under Phillips from the seventh grade through his junior year of high school and credits his former coach’s leadership, discipline and character with shaping him as both a player and a young man. The opportunity to reunite with Phillips and help restore a winning tradition at LeMoyne-Owen played a major role in Payne’s decision to join the program.
His coaching philosophy centers on accountability and personal development. Payne believes in learning who his players are beyond basketball, and providing the guidance and support they need to become better athletes, students, and young men. As a graduate of an HBCU, he also understands many of the challenges student-athletes may encounter and uses that experience to build trust and connect with players.
Outside of coaching, Payne works for Memphis-Shelby County Schools as a student experience advisor with Project STAND, a mentoring program that assists more than 400 students with post-secondary planning. He graduated from Whitehaven High School in 2020 before earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Lane College in 2024. Payne is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University, with an expected graduation date of 2027.
Payne is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., having been initiated through the Beta Lambda Chapter in the spring of 2023. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, running, working out and dancing.
At LeMoyne-Owen, Payne hopes to help establish a championship culture, compete for an SIAC title, earn success in the NCAA Division II Tournament, and develop players capable of reaching higher levels of competition. Most importantly, he wants to help build a program that develops accomplished student-athletes and young men who are proud to represent LeMoyne-Owen College.
